The Rider of Remnant
by Masseffect-TxS
Summary: "There was someone there that day when my home was destroyed. But he wasn't a Good Samaritan, he was something else and whatever he had, he passed it on to me. Now there is something inside of me, something I can barely control. It's like a fire that can never be doused, a rage that cannot be quelled...and a spirit of undying vengeance."
1. Chapter I: Legend of the Rider

RWBY: The Rider of Remnant

"There was someone there that day when my home was destroyed. But he wasn't a Good Samaritan, he was something else and whatever he had, he passed it on to me. Now there is something inside of me, something I can barely control. It's like a fire that can never be doused, a rage that cannot be quelled...and a spirit of undying vengeance."

 **After reading 'The Rider of Beacon' by KingofthePhantomDragon, I was inspired to write a story based on the Marvel Hero Ghost Rider as well. With permission, of course, and promise to mention him and his story. This is my first attempt at a Marvel-inspired story so be kind, and it's not a crossover but using the elements of Ghost Rider and none of the characters. PS I do not own RWBY or Ghost Rider as they are owned by Marvel, Marvel Studios, Roosterteeth and Monty Oum. And this is a none profit fan based story. Please support the official release.**

 **So please sit back and enjoy, RWBY: The Rider of Remnant**

* * *

Chapter I: Legend of the Rider

* * *

These day's no one believes in the old doctrines of the Gods, as evidence to their existence is bleak at best. Some say there are multiple Gods, others say there is only one. However, to those who truly believe and know the truth, there are in fact two.

One a God of Light, and the other a God of Darkness.

As you can imagine, their names stood for what their titles entailed. One created while the other destroyed. For a thousand years, these two had been in a constant cycle of creating and destroy. Where by day, the older brother would create and at night, the younger would destroy. It wasn't until the elder brother had enough of the constant destruction and made an offer to his brother, one final creation that they could both be proud of. And thus, humanity was born. Who were gifted with the power of knowledge, choice, creation and destruction? Satisfied with their work, the Gods left humanity alone and agreed never to interfere with their masterpieces.

However, there was one more creation that they had made, one that history has sadly forgotten.

The brothers had created something else when humanity was born. Something that would act as an enforcer of the laws of life and death, a spirit of justice to the innocent and of vengeance to the wicked. This 'spirit' was gifted with both the sense of duty of angels and the power of demons. The spirit was sent to earth and tasked with guarding humanity against itself for nearly three centuries. However, whilst trying to bring down a powerful sorcerer that attempted to defy the laws of life and death, the sorcerer cast a powerful spell that wounded the spirit, leaving the spirit vulnerable to man and beast. The spirit could no longer remain on the physical plane, but its sense of duty bound it to continue its purpose.

In order to remain on Remnant, it searched for a host.

It found its first host in the form of a warrior, who sought vengeance for the deaths of his family and countrymen. A deal was struck and the spirit made him an offer to grant him his vengeance, in return for acting as the enforcer it was created to be. But, when the spirit merged with the man's soul, it transformed them both into something horrifying. The warrior's pain and anger were so great, the spirit in its weakened state was driven mad and transformed into a being of fire and death that rode across the battlefield like the rider of death itself. Entire armies of men fell at his feet; Grimm would quake in fear of his arrival and some would say even the Darkness would fear his presences.

For a hundred years, the spirit acted as a powerful warrior that struck fear into the hearts of the wicked and brought hope to the innocent. However, most debunked this tale as simply a man with a powerful semblance and illusionary tricks that stormed into the battlefield and got lucky enough to survive. This worked for the spirit, as it could operate in the shadows, and fade into obscurity. It would then hunt down those who would harm the innocent and punish them for their sins. But as it turned while the spirit was immortal, the host was not and the spirit was forced to leave the man in search of a new host, a new rider to hunt down the wicked. And so, it began that the spirit of Vengeance would choose a host to carry out its will and hunt down those who would slaughter the innocent and defy the laws of life and death.

And when the rider's time was done, a new host must be found to harness its power and rage. For this was the power and the curse...of The Rider.

* * *

Vale City Police Department

* * *

The gentle tapping of a cane echoed slightly in the hallway as Headmaster Ozpin and Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch walked down the hall of the VCPD lockup. Moments ago, they had just finished up with a conversation with a young Ruby Rose, offering her a position at Beacon Academies upcoming initiation exam. When a VCPD officer had required their assistance with an individual they had in lockup. Now, normally they wouldn't interfere in small matters such as these unless they were potential huntsmen that needed to be dealt with. But the way the police officer asked for their assistance, the fear that was in his voice, it raised some concern between them.

They soon spotted the police commissioner as he was finishing up a conversation with the chief before he turned and saluted the pair, "Headmaster Ozpin, Headmistress Goodwitch, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The man said as he held out his hand to Ozpin, who shook it none the less.

"Likewise Commissioner, you called us for a reason, correct?" he asked as the man sighed and gestured to the morgue.

"It's best that I show you," he said as the pair followed the commissioner.

"About two hours ago we broke up a small fight in a pub just near the wall. Some drunk picked a fight with another drunk and an all-out brawl took place. We brought most of them here to the precinct so we could keep an eye on them pending their charges." He said as they walked into a room that had a chill in the air.

"When we brought them to the lock-up, one of them started acting strangely. Kept saying 'don't lock me in here, you're making a big mistake', normal stuff people say when they get arrested so we didn't pay much mind," The commissioner said as he gestured to the coroner. The coroner nodded as he got up from his desk and walked over to the three, guiding them to a freezer and pulled out a body on the tray.

"However, half an hour ago, one of the inmates was killed and...well...see for yourself..."

The coroner removed the blanket and the two stepped back in shock. Glynda had to clasp a hand over her mouth as she repressed the urge to shriek at the sight.

The man on the slab was tall, had a bald head and multiple scars on his face, with a tattoo pertaining to one of the bandit gangs that happened to lurk outside the city. However, what had caused the two teachers to react was the fact that the man's eyes were completely burned out. Black soot covering the sockets that once held his eyes, as the stench of burnt flesh still lingered from his skull. But strangely another smell could be found as Ozpin could have sworn it smelt of...

"Brimstone?" he muttered as he gazed into the vacant holes of the man's skull.

"H-How did this happen?" Glynda asked as the Commissioner shrugged his shoulders.

"We still don't know, the security feed cuts dead before we can identify how he died and all of our cells have aura dampeners embedded in the walls so there should have been no way for him to use his semblance, no matter what it must be. We even checked all the inmates for any traces of dust based weapons or clothing before we threw them in. None of them should have been able to do this to the other prisoners," he said as the coroner stood next to the body.

"From the initial report, it's almost as if the man was simply...burnt from the inside out? I've never seen anything like this?" the coroner said as the teachers shared a glance as a dark thought entered their minds.

"Do you have any...suspects?" Ozpin asked fearing who the person might be, as the man nodded and gestured him to follow him.

"We have one, a kid brought in the same time with the others during the bar fight. He's the one I told you about, the one that told us not to put him in with them"

"And that warrants him being the main suspect?" Ozpin asked as the man shook his head and opened the doors to the lock up.

"GET US OUT OF HERE! HE'S GOING TO KILL US! FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS! HELP US!" one of the inmates said as he banged on the cell doors. Others were huddled together further back in the holding cell, while some seemed to be praying to whatever god they could think of.

"That's why," the commissioner said, as the two teachers were now just as confused as they were stunned as they looked at the cause of all the commotion being centred around one boy, who sat in the centre of the large cell in the middle bench with his head bowed down.

The boy in question had yellow blond hair that shadowed his face as he was dressed in dark blue jeans, calf-high combat boots with a black hoodie. On top of the hoodie was a white chest plate with gold trimmings that was covered with a black leather jacket and a shoulder pauldron on his left shoulder. On his hand were a pair of white gauntlets that stretched up to his elbows with dark gold coloured gloves that covered his whole hands.

"Him? That's who they are afraid of?" Glynda said as she looked over the boy. He didn't seem that intimidating as he just sat in the centre of his cell. Ozpin, however, felt a strange aura resonating from the boy.

Something...Dark.

"We thought the same too, but every time we try and talk to one of the witnesses they just keep point at him. Saying something about flaming skulls and whatnot? And then stuff like 'he's come for our sins?' whatever that meant?" the commissioner said as Ozpin placed a pondering hand on his chin. "Come, I'll show you the footage," he said as they began to leave the lockup. Ozpin turned back one last time to the boy, as he had a thoughtful gaze before leaving through the doors. Unaware that the boy lifted his head up before lowering it back down.

The three walked into a large room with multiple monitors as the man gestured to one of the officers as he nodded and typed on the keyboards. "This is when we brought them in," he said as footage showed two officers dragging along with them the boy in the cell. His face revealed to the monitors as he looked as if he was struggling, not with the officers, but rather himself.

* * *

VCPD_Sceurity_Footage / 20 - 02 - XX / VCPD_Lock-Up_Playback...

* * *

" _ **Listen, you're making a big mistake! Don't put me in there with them! I can't be in there with them!" the boy said as he was being dragged by the officers**_

" _ **Relax kid, you'll only be in here until we ID you. After we check up with the bar and the other witness, I am sure you'll only be given a small fine," one of them said as the boy shook his head.**_

" _ **No! You don't understand! You can't put me in there with them! Their criminals! Murderers!" one of the officers rolled their eyes as they passed all the inmates, some looking at him like he was a piece of meat.**_

 _ **"Relax kid, they are not going to harm you. We've got cameras all over the cell and aura suppressors embedded in the walls. They aren't going to hurt you," he said as they placed him in the cell. The boy grabbed the bars as he looked at them as they walked away.**_

" _ **...It's not them you should be worried about...it's me..."**_

* * *

Glynda and Ozpin shared curious glances as they returned their attention back to the monitors. One of the inmates, the man who would end up on the slab, walked over as he seemed to be looking at the boy with a cocky look in his eyes.

* * *

" _ **Well, well, look what we have here lads. Little man thinks he's so tough, don't he?" he asked as he lumbered over to the boy. He chuckled as he grabbed the boy by the back of his jacket and flung him across the cell. He then looked at the armour on the boy as he laughed. "What do you think you are, a hunter?"**_

 _ **The boy slowly sat up as he shook his head, "...Listen, buddy, I really think you should stay away from me..." the boy grunted as he held his head and whispered to himself.**_

 _ **"Oooh~ I'm so scared. Listen here you runt, I've taken on hunters twice your size and they barely last against me! I've gone up against the toughest Grimm and the most fortified villages possible and still come out on top. Just because you wear armour, doesn't mean you can take on someone like me," he said as the boy shook his head.**_

" _ **I'm serious! Leave me alone! If you want to live, stay away from me!" he said as the inmates and the man laughed at him. "No! I don't need you! Stay down...don't hurt them...leave them alone..." he said as the man looked confused. The boy began to pant as Ozpin could have sworn to see smoke rising from the boy's collar.**_

" _ **Whatever lad, you're not worth my time. I've killed for less anyhow," he said as he delivered one last kick to the boy's stomach as the crowd cheered and the man began to walk to the other side of the room.**_

" _ **...Stained..." all laughter stopped as a dark voice resonated in the cell and the man turned back to the boy.**_

" _ **Wha?" he said as the boy held his head as the picture started to frizz.**_

" _ **...Soul...stained...by the ...blood...of...innocent..." the boy slowly stood up as the image began to blur quickly and for a moment, the boy's eye's glowed orange.**_

 _ **"...Feel their pain!" was the last thing he said as the screen became static and they could no longer be seen.**_

 _ **However, the sounds of screaming and fire burning could be heard as the man's voice screamed out like he was in great pain, followed by a roar that could only be described as demonic. When the screen return, the man was lying on the floor, smoke rising from his eyes, as every man in the cell was backed away in fear of the boy that stood over him.  
**_

* * *

VCPD_Sceurity_Footage / 20 - 02 - XX / VCPD_Lock-Up_Playback end...

* * *

Ozpin and Glynda had no words to say as they just stared at the image. The sounds they heard right as what they could only presume was the man burning that sent chills down their spines. More so, when they heard something almost demonic in the video. What happened after the screen went static? What was that inhuman roar and how did that man die in the cell?

And more importantly, who was that strange boy?

"I honestly cannot make heads or tails of this," the commissioner said as he rewinds the footage to just before the screen went static. "There is no evidence that suggests that he killed him, and there is no weapon that can cause this much damage. Yet all the inmates claim he did it, yet I can't take them seriously because they are all scared to death, going on about flaming skulls or such nonsense?" he said as he folded his arms together.

"It's kind of funny actually...the man he killed is a wanted criminal in the Vacuo Kingdom wanted for human trafficking, murder and rape just to name a few. He would have slipped right under our radar if this whole incident hadn't happened. Now we just have to deliver a body," the man said as Ozpin stared.

"Do we have a name for him?" he asked as the man nodded and handed him a folder with boy's face on it.

"His name is Jaune Arc, here's his file if you want to read it?" he said as Ozpin looked over the document given to him.

"I would like to have a word with him, in private if that is alright?" he asked as Glynda's eyebrows shot up at this.

"Headmaster!?"

"Are you sure about that? I mean there is no telling what could happen if I put you in the same room as-" the commissioner tried to reason as Ozpin merely shook his head.

"I will be fine, please arrange the meeting?" he said as the commissioner looked conflicted before he nodded and left the room while Ozpin and Glynda walked into the main hall.

"Ozpin are you insane!? You saw what happened on the monitor! The body in the morgue! What if he does that to you as well!?" she argued as the man shook his head.

"I'll be fine Glynda. I just want to get Mister Arcs side of the story, and we still don't have a clue what happened after the image went static. For all, we know it could have been anything. Besides..." he looked around to see if anyone was listening in as he leant in closer. "He may be a link to what happened to Autumn? And if not, he may be a potential ally that we can use against **'Her'** if she is unaware of him. I know I am," he said as Glynda looked conflicted before she nodded.

"All right, I trust you. But if anything happens, I will step in, understood?" she said as the man nodded while the Commissioner returned.

"He's in the interrogation room," he said as he led them to one of the interrogation rooms.

They stopped briefly in front of the one-way mirror as the boy was now handcuffed to the table. The boy himself seemed distant as he just stared at the surface of the table. There was no fear, no remorse, just a blank hollowed look as he stared at his own reflection. They soon walked into the room as the boy, now known as Jaune, looked up slightly surprised to see them and not another officer. Glynda stood off into the corner of the room, while Ozpin took his seat at the table, as he placed his coffee mug down, his cane near the table and opened the file.

"Name: Jaune Miles Luna Arc. Age: 17 Born to a Roland and Diane Arc in a small town outside Vacuo, both deceased along with six sisters Bleu, Noir, Rouge, Verte, Blanc and Violet Arc. Only remaining kin is Clair Arc. Age: 15 currently living by herself in a town near Vacuo. Current possessions, one pitch black chopper styled motorcycle, currently impounded. One sword and sheath that can transom into a shield, a long chain with a hook attached to the end and an Atlas made Winchester 1887 Model Shotgun." He then looked up as the boy said nothing.

"History shows multiple arrests for aggravated assault, suspected in multiple unexplained and unidentified murders. But due to lack of evidence and unreliable witness reports, no charges have been filed against you, as well as the fact that most of the 'victims' have been criminals and bandits wanted for crimes against the four Kingdoms." Ozpin said as he read from the boy's rap sheet.

"Reports also state you've taken on few contracts clearing our Grimm in small towns in the four Kingdoms, were strangely after you've visited the Grimm rate drops sharply in the area and takes twice as long to regenerate. Now that is interesting," he folded his fingers together as he looked the boy in the eye.

"What are you doing all the way out here in Vale, Mister Arc? You have a sister back in Vacuo living all by herself. Wouldn't you rather be with your only remaining family member?" Jaune said nothing as he remained to stare at the table. "Mister Arc I am trying to understand you, and I am also trying to help you. Even though the man was a criminal, you still killed at what was essentially an innocent person, you may be looking at a life sentence-"

"He wasn't innocent," Ozpin stopped as he looked at the boy, "He wasn't an innocent person, he had stained hands," Jaune repeated as the man raised his eyebrow.

"And how would you know that? You two have never met before." Jaune merely glared as he looked at his hands still cuffed to the table.

"...I could...feel it...his soul was stained by the blood of innocence; I knew more about him then the officers that had him locked up. He was a murderer, a rapist and a bandit that stalked on the innocent and slaughtered them without a care in the world. His soul had to be punished," Ozpin raised an eyebrow at this.

"His soul?" Jaune nodded as he looked at his hands.

"I could hear them crying out, and not just from him, but from everyone else in that cell as well. Criminals, murderers, rapists, I could hear them all. They're lucky only one of them died today, otherwise, there would be a lot more bodies in the morgue. But him, he had to die, it was the only way to keep 'him' calm..." he said coldly as the two teachers shared concerned glances as Glynda marched up to him and placed her hands on the table.

"And what gave you the right to decide his fate?" she said as Jaune looked up as a faint orange glowed resonated from his pupils.

"I'm not the one who decides," his voice took on a dark tone as smoke began to rise from his wrist. The cuffs that once restrained him glowed hot before they broke off and fell onto the table. Glynda immediately sprung forth as she whipped her crop out to strike the boy, but was stopped as Ozpin held his hand up, which stopped her and seemed to cause Jaune to calm down.

"Sorry, but like I said, I don't get to decide, that usually falls to the **'other guy'**. And as for my sister, it's just safer if she's far away from me as possible, I don't want her to be caught up in what I've become..."

"And what have you become?" he asked as Jaune chuckled while holding up his now free hands as if to demonstrate a point.

"I honestly have no idea; all I know is that I need to keep her as far away from me as possible. Because I got myself into this mess..."

"How so, Mister Arc?" Jaune chuckled slightly as he thought back to that time.

"Let's just say I made a deal about two years ago to save my sister's life, the same day my hometown burned and the rest of my family died. And now because of it, there is something inside of me, something I can barely control. It's angry, it's powerful and it needs to kill those who have spilt innocent blood. And if I try and stop it, it fights harder and harder that I lose control...then **'He'** comes out, and the wicked are punished for their sins," smoke starting rising from his collar as the room suddenly became hotter. The teachers tensed at this but relaxed slightly as Jaune gripped his fists and the temperature returned to normal.

"You seem to be in control now, aren't you?" Ozpin stated as the boy shook his head.

"Barely, I can reason with him if I focus hard enough and stay away from people whose hands are stained with innocent blood. But that's hard to do when everywhere I go there is nothing but hatred, violence and literal creatures of darkness just outside these walls. I'm barely in one place before I have to leave and get away before...the other guy, comes out," he sighed as he looked at his hands.

"I don't regret the decision I made to save my sister, but I wish I could learn how to control it and maybe, just maybe, have a normal life..." Ozpin and Glynda felt a small bit of sympathy for the boy, even though they knew little about what was inside him. However, because of their exposure to the Maidens, the Relics and the knowledge of the enemy, it had made them understand the boy and what he was going through.

It was then that Ozpin made a decision that would change the fate of Vale and even the world itself.

"Miser Arc," he said as Jaune looked up at the man, "How would you like to attend Beacon Academy?" Nothing but silence resonated in the room as both Glynda and Jaune just stared at the man as if he just sprouted another head and that head said the most absurd thing they had ever heard. Which he just did.

"...What!? "both Jaune and Glynda said as Ozpin just stared blankly at their outburst.

"Headmaster, you cannot be serious! You're inviting him into the Academy, he killed a man in cold blood! You'd be putting all the students at risk! Not to mention what the Council would do if they find out you let a murder into the school! It's a terrible idea!" she stopped as she looked over to the boy.

"No offense," she said as Jaune shook his head.

"No, I agree with you, that sounds like a terrible idea! You saw what I did to that guy, how the thing inside me killed him because he had blood on his hands!" Jaune said as he stood up from his chair and glared at the man. "What if **'the other guy'** senses something on one of your teachers or gods forbid one of the students? I can't control him then! He doesn't care about age or agenda! He will kill if there is a single drop of innocent blood! What will happen then!?" he shouted as Ozpin merely stared at the boy before taking a sip from his coffee mug.

"First off Mister Arc, I can guarantee that none of my staff members has innocent blood on their hands. I should know because I have worked with them for quite some time, and I promise they are good people. And second, in all the time you've had this 'other guy' inside of you, has he ever attacked children?" Jaune stopped as he thought for a moment.

"...No...no he hasn't"

"And has he ever killed anyone with no blood on their hands?" he asked as Jaune shook his head.

"He only hunts those who spilled innocent blood and feel no remorse," he said as Ozpin nodded.

"And from what I've understood, the people who have been killed were nothing but cold hearted criminals, bandits and murderers. If this 'other guy' was truly evil, he wouldn't stop at the guilty, he would have killed the innocent no matter how small the sin" Jaune stopped to think about this as he sat back down on his chair. "Mister Arc, I do not deny that what you have inside of you is dangerous and powerful. But if you come to my academy, I believe we can help you learn what this entity is inside of you. Because believe it or not we have had...similar cases like yourself," he said as Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"You have, who?" he asked as the man shook his head,

"That, unfortunately, I cannot tell you, the walls have ears after all," he said as he placed his cup down and tented his fingers again. "But I assure you, we can help you understand what is inside of you, and maybe even how to control it. Besides..." he removed a photograph from his folder as he handed it to the boy.

"Wouldn't you want to see your sister again?" Jaune picked up the picture as he looked at the face of his youngest and only remaining sister. Her warm smiling face staring right back at him as a small tear brimmed at the edges of his eye. He sighed as he held the picture in his hand and then looked up at the two adults.

"...Okay...I'll join," he said as Ozpin smiled warmly at this, "But do you really think you can help me? Do you really think I can control it?" he asked as the man stood up and grabbed his cane.

"That I cannot answer, only you can if you have the will to do so. The Airbuses will be at the docks by eight am, make sure to be there on time if you want to make it Beacon." He said as Jaune nodded.

"But what about the man I killed? I doubt the cops are just going to let me go?" he said as Ozpin merely shook his head.

"Don't worry about that, I can deal with the police. Just make sure to be ready for tomorrow." He said as Jaune nodded while Ozpin and a reluctant Glynda left the room, as Jaune remained behind to stare at the picture of his only remaining family member.

While in the hallway Glynda pulled him aside as she looked the man in the eyes, "Are you sure this is a good idea Headmaster? Whatever is inside him is dangerous, maybe even uncontrollable. For all, we know this could be one of **'Her'** tricks. Are really willing to risk everyone's lives on one of your hunches?" she said as the man only stared into her eyes.

"Honestly Glynda...I have no idea, but at this point, I am desperate for anything. Salem has powerful allies and half of the Autumn Maidens power at her disposal. If Mister Arc can tip the scale in our favour, even just by a bit, then I think the risk will be worth it." Glynda glared through her glasses as she stared into his eyes.

"Even if its costs the lives of our students?"

He didn't say anything as he brushed past her and began to walk away. The silence was all that answered her as she followed the man down the hall, hoping that the man she followed would not be foolish enough to truly risk everything on a chance. While back in the interrogation room, Jaune continued to stare at the photo of his sister in his left hand, while his right had a small flame flickering on his palm. He looked between the flame in his hand and the picture before he stared into the flames.

"Alright..." he said and clenched his fist, smothering the flame and steeling his resolve. "Let's see where this goes?"

* * *

 **And scene, here is Chapter I of my new fanfic 'The Rider of Remnant' inspired by KingofthePhantomDragon's 'Rider of Beacon'. Tell me what you think, and before people ask, yes I will continue my other stories as well as The Destroyer Reborn, Restart, The Remnant Knight, The Ascension of a King and maybe some of my older fics, depending on the mood and the inspiration I get. Because reading others works and getting praise for my own work inspires me to wrote. So, go and check of KingofthePhantomDragon's work and hopefully be inspired like I was.**

 **Now I also want to set the record straight, no it is not a crossover, it's just using elements of Ghost Rider and not fully from the Nicolas Cage film, also draws some from Marvel's Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D season 4. Also, anyone notice that in Marvel Films they don't say the hosts for Hulk or the Ghost Rider don't say Hulk or Ghost Rider, they just say 'The Other Guy'? Weird but cool.**

 **So, tell me if I should continue this, and if so stay tuned for Chapter II: The Rider at Beacon**


	2. Chapter II: The Rider at Beacon

RWBY: The Rider of Remnant

"There was someone there that day when my home was destroyed. But he wasn't a Good Samaritan, he was something else and whatever he had, he passed it on to me. Now there is something inside of me, something I can barely control. It's like a fire that can never be doused, a rage that cannot be quelled...and a spirit of undying vengeance."

* * *

 **Well after the amount of praise for this story, I decided to continue this story of Rider of Remnant. Now to address the main question I've been getting on the pairings. First off, it will be a harem story, but Pyrrha will have a bit more attention because I am still an Arkos fan and because it's my story so I'll write how I want. Freedom of speech people, seriously. Anyway, the harem will consist of Yang, Ruby and Pyrrha and maybe one other if I can think of one.**

 **Yang because of their shared interest in motorcycles, and the fact that they both have little sisters that they want to protect, so that is something to bond over. Ruby, because Jaune will see her as the purest person he has ever met outside his sister because she treats him like a friend. And Pyrrha because in the cannon she is always willing to help Jaune, even if it puts her in danger. The reason for the lack of Blake and Weiss is because Jaune and Blake don't have a lot of dialogue together and I am not a fan of Weiss being with Jaune.**

 **Plus, I've recently begun to be more open to Weiss being with Neptune and Blake with Sun, just sort of fits.**

* * *

Chapter II: The Rider at Beacon

* * *

Dark blue eyes stared out at the passing sights of the city of Vale, as Jaune Arc simply stared out of the Airbuses window. It had been roughly several hours since he was released from police custody, and he was now on his way to Beacon Academy, one of the best huntsman academies in the entire world. When he was younger he had dreamed of being accepted into such a renown and prestigious school. To learn how to fight monsters, protect the innocent and make himself known as a great and brave hero across the lands.

But that all changed when **'the other guy'** was placed inside him.

He leant his head against the glass window as he closed his eyes and attempted to drown out the rest of the world around him. But when he closed his eyes he would begin to remember the night his family died, his mother begging him to take his little sister far away from them and keep her safe. He could even remember in detail the look of fear in her eyes that still haunted him to this day as he had never felt such a feeling of guilt at leaving his family to die. Even though he was told to go. He remembered riding as fast as he could on his father's motorcycle as the creatures of Grimm chased after them, his sister clinging to his chest as they rode through the forests of Anima.

Then came the Screams

The Crash

The Pain

The Plea

And the Stranger, hovering over him like the visage of death itself.

Whatever it was that stranger gave him, it was anything but a blessing. Now a strange entity resided within him, a being that would manifest and hunt down those who had done wrong no matter the severity of the crime. Whenever the entity would come out he would feel a pulse in his head, a burning sensation sweeping throughout his brain and the smell of brimstone and death. Hours later he would wake up with small recollections of what he had done, and the lives he had taken as a passenger to this entity. For the past two years, he had to be constantly on the move, hoping to control whatever it was that was inside of him. But no matter what he tried, he just couldn't control the entity within, only bargain with it enough to stop it from doing something reckless.

But it was nearly impossible when the entity inside of him demanded the deaths of those who've spilt innocent blood, for which they could not escape.

Another downside of having the 'other guy' inside him, was that the entity could literally hear the sins of everyone around him, and via extension Jaune. The sins would range from the smallest of thefts to the most violent of murders. No one is free of sin and Jaune could hear them all. It was a feeling that Jaune could only describe as having felt a revolting sickness in your stomach, like a lead ball that drags you down and makes you want to throw up in pure disgust. Followed by the feeling of a burning headache as if someone was clawing away at your skull, trying to break out and end the sickness.

There were days where Jaune could barely handle the large amount of hate and sin that surrounded him, that he wished he could just run as far away as he could. But with the other guy inside of him, most of the time the problem was solved with a rather...gruesome end.

Right now, however, he was just trying to hold it in as he flew over the city. The feeling of weightlessness from the aircraft, coupled with the multiple senses of everyone's sin below him and his airsickness was kicking into overdrive. He was barely able to hold his stomach in as he ran from the window straight to the bathroom.

"I guess the views, not for everyone?" he cared little for whoever said that, as he burst into the bathroom and upheaved his stomach into the bowl. His fingers gripping the stainless-steel bowl as he upheaved whatever contents that were left in his stomach. After emptying his stomach, he rested his head on the wall as he managed to resist the urge to upchuck again as he wondered.

"...When the heck did I eat carrots?" he briefly muttered as he wiped his lips, rinsed his mouth in the sink and left the bathroom having little care to flush what he left in the toilet. He looked around at the multiple faces of students as he could sense every one of their sins. They were small and barely worth an appearance from the other guy, but they were still there and the other guy could sense it.

Jaune grabbed his head as he felt the other guy stir inside of him. "No, they're just kids, leave them be," he muttered to himself as he leant his back against the wall of the bulkhead. He breathed in a calming breath as he felt his 'host' calm down and slowly withdraw back into the furthest depths of his mind.

"This was a mistake, why did I even agree to do this?" he asked himself as he slid down the wall and just sat on the floor. But as he slid down, a small photograph fell out of his breastplate as a familiar face greeted him. He picked up the photo as he looked at the girl in the photo that was roughly fourteen to fifteen years of age with short light blond hair and light blue eyes as the girl was smiling at the camera. He stared at the photo as several other faces laughing and smiling passed in front of him as a small tear streaked down his cheek. He managed to wipe away the tear as he placed the photo back in his breastplate.

"Right...for her," he said as he looked out the window at the shining sun from the port bay window. A small smile on his face as he reassured himself that this was the right thig to do.

"Who knows? Maybe I might have a 'normal' life? Maybe I'll make some friends?" he thought with a more positive outlook. Suddenly his stomach rumbled and he stumbled his way back to the bathroom, only to upheave on someone's shoes.

"EW! It's on my shoes!" "EW! EW! EW!" Ruby and Yang said as Jaune merely groaned.

' _...Well, there goes that thought...'_

* * *

Beacon Docks, a Short While Later

* * *

Jaune finished upheaving his stomach into the bin as he was just finally glad to be off that flying machine of torment. It was weird though, normally he would be fine on any type of transportation, yet for some reason, he was especially susceptible to vomit on the plane. Was it because of the negative emotions he detected over the city? Or because he was doubting his decision so much his stomach couldn't handle it?

"Well whatever the case, I hope it doesn't happen again. I don't think I can handle another like that?" Jaune said as he rubbed a hand over his face. He then looked over at the academy, as he could have sworn it wasn't as grand as when they were flying into it. But despite the grand scale of the Academy, Jaune could have sworn he felt something else radiating from within the Academy, something old and powerful...

Almost Like Him

He shook his head "Well, might as well see what else can happen today?" he said as he took one step towards the school. No soon did he say that did a loud explosion caught him by surprise. His hand instantly went for his shotgun as he spun around to the source of the explosion, only to blink in surprise as he sheathed his gun and stared at the two girls in the centre of a large crater.

"You Imbecile! Look at what you've done!" the girl dressed in white said as she brushed off the dust and dirt off her clothes in one quick swoop, something that raised some serious questions.

"I-I am really sorry!" the second girl dressed in red and black said as she too stood in the centre of the crater, somehow also getting rid of the dust in a few swipes of her hand, ' _seriously how'd they do that?'_ Jaune wondered as he watched them from afar.

"Ugh, you're a complete _dolt_! What are you even _doing_ here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?" the white girl said as the smaller red wearing girl only seemed to shrink as she was berated by the white girl. "W-well, I," the red girl said before she was interrupted. "This isn't your ordinary combat school. It's not just sparring and practice, you know! We're here to fight _monsters_ , so... watch where you're going!" she said as this time the red girl stood up.

"Hey, I said I was sorry, Princess!" she said as the white girl only huffed.

"It's Heiress actually," a calm voice said as Jaune and the others turned to see a girl wearing black and white walked up to them with a book in her hand. As soon as Jaune saw her, he instantly felt the 'Other Guy' stir rapidly inside him. The scent of blood was on her hands, as well as a great amount of guilt and sadness that radiated off her in waves. But she also had the scent of another on her. Someone whose hands were stained far worse than anyone he had ever met. It was confusing both Jaune and the Other Guy. But soon his right arm started twitched as Jaune managed to grab his hand and stop it from reaching his gun again.

"No! Stop!" he hissed quietly to himself as he gripped his wrist. "Don't kill her! It's not hers! She just knows someone else!" he hissed as managed to regain control of his arm and he felt the entity relinquish control back to Jaune. He breathed a breath of relief as he looked back to the girl who still hadn't noticed him.

"Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world." The black and white girl said as Jaune felt the entity stir again at the mention of the name 'Schnee. While 'Weiss' merely hummed in agreement.

"Finally! Some recognition!" she said before the black and white girl continued.

"The same company infamous for its controversial labour forces and questionable business partners." The entity stirred more at this as Jaune gritted his teeth as small wisps of smoke began to rise from his collar.

"Stop it! She's just a kid! Leave her alone!" he hissed again as he struggled against the other guy. "She is **not** her **company**! Let it go!" he said as the other guy slowly relented as he quickly ran away from the scene.

"Wha- How dare you- The nerve of... Ugh!" Weiss said as she stomped her foot and then walked away while the red girl giggled slightly before turning back to the white girl

"I promise I'll make this up to you!" she said but was too late as the girl was not listening. She sighed as she turned around. "I guess I'm not the only one having a rough first day...So, what's..." but she then noticed that the girl in black and white had disappeared as she slumped her shoulders and fell on her back.

"Welcome to Beacon..." she said miserably as she stared up at the sky. "Well, I might as well get this over with, not like I'm going to make any-"

"Gah!" she was cut off as she heard a grunt coming from one of the trees.

"Friend?" she finished as she got up and walked over to the tree.

Behind the tree, Jaune was desperately gripping the bark as he tried to regain control over his body. Normally he would be able to reason with the entity, the other guy, inside of him. Get him to not kill every person in sight that had sin or the tiniest amount of blood on their hands. But after seeing those two girls, the black bow wearing girl and the heiress to one of the most blood-soaked companies in the world. It had nearly pushed his control over the limit.

This time, however, it took so much more concentration that he gripped the tight enough to cause the bark to splinter. He felt more smoke rising from his collar as the other guy was about to make an appearance.

' _Damn it! Damn it! I knew this was a mistake! I can't-I can't stop him!'_ Jaune though as his vision began to blacken. _'I'm-I'm...'_ the world was slowly drowning out as his eyes began to shimmer a soft orange glow.

"Um...excuse me?"

Suddenly everything stopped as he turned around to see the small girl dressed in gothic black and red. For a moment, he thought he was staring at his sister from the way her face was shaped similarly to Clair's, the similar fair skin and the innocent look that shone from her eyes. but from a second glance, he instantly realised that she was not his sister. For one her hair was black that faded to dark red tips at the end and her eyes were silver, that seemed oddly hypnotic.

But the strangest thing he found similar about his sister, was the fact that he sensed absolutely no sin radiating from her. It was like she was...pure...

Pure Innocence

"Are you okay?" she asked as Jaune blinked in response and instantly felt full control over his body return to him. "Are you okay?" she asked as Jaune managed to nod as he stood back up at full height, completely towering over the small girl.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, just uh...just still regaining my senses. I'm Jaune by the way, Jaune Arc" he said as the girl smiled and held out a hand.

"Ruby, Ruby Rose," she said as the boy nodded and shook her hand. Her eyes then narrowed as she looked closely at his face. "Hey...Aren't you the guy who vomited on the plane?" she asked as Jaune slumped his shoulders.

"Great..." he muttered as the girl looked confused.

* * *

Shortly at the Beacon Fountain

* * *

Jaune and the girl, now known as Ruby, were mindlessly walking around the campus as they were busy discussing an important topic. "I keep telling you, I-I don't normally get air sick. I just had a rough night last night and I didn't get much sleep, so my body was not prepared for the apparent Airship ride to get here. I mean seriously, who builds a school so far from the city? It's unbelievable!" Jaune said as Ruby giggled a little.

"Look I'm Sorry! But Vomit boy was the first thing that came to mind, it's really funny!" she said as she giggled at the boy's annoyed face.

"Oh yeah, well what if I started calling you Crater Face?" Jaune said as her eyes widened at this.

"Hey! That was not my fault! That Explosion was an accident! I swear!" she said with her arms flailing while Jaune only laughed.

"Well tell you what, you call me Jaune and I call you Ruby and we never say those names again, deal?" he said as Ruby nodded and grabbed his hand.

"Deal!" she said as they let go, "Though I don't think my sister will forget it, you did vomit on her shoes after all," she said as Jaune slumped.

"Figures, I just can't catch a break, can I?" he said as the girl giggled at him. The two then just walked in awkward silence as they just mindlessly wandered the campus.

"So~ I got this thing!" she said as she reached behind her back and deployed a large red and black coloured scythe as she twirled the blade and slammed it into the pavement.

"Whoa! Is that a Scythe?" Jaune said as he pointed at the blade.

"It's also a customizable high-impact sniper rifle!" she said proudly while Jaune only stared at the weapon.

"It's also a gun?"

"It's also a gun," she said as she cocked the weapon. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you figured that out, seeing as you have a gun as well. Is that an Atlas Winchester 1886 model shotgun?" she asked as Jaune raised an eyebrow and pulled out his gun.

"1887, actually, it was my dad's before he retired. It's saved my life more times than I can count, never leave home without it," Jaune said as he looked upon the dark oak framing and the dark silver steel of the barrel before he twirled the gun and sheathed it back into his holster on his back waist.

"Cool, I never thought I see one of the classic's, they only made thirteen of those until the newer models came out. What else do you have?" she asked as Jaune smiled at the girl and removed the sword and sheath off his back.

"Well, I've got this sword...and this sheath?" he said as Ruby awed the sword and sheath.

"Oooh...what do they do?"

"Well, the shield gets smaller, so when I get tired of carrying it, I can just... put it away..." he said as Ruby raised an eyebrow

"But... wouldn't it weigh the same?"

"It does, but I don't worry about it too much. I mostly use the sword anyway, no need to use the shield unless I am protecting someone," he said as he placed Crocea Mors back on his back.

"Cool, cool, but what's with the chain?" Ruby said as she pointed at the chain that wrapped around his torso from his right shoulder to his left hip. "I mean, it just looks like a chain. What good does that do?" she asked as Jaune instantly clutched his chain.

"Hey, hey, don't disrespect the chain. This thing has a variety of uses, that you would never think of, it has certainly gotten me out a scrap or two." Jaune said proudly as he held the chain with his hand.

"But, what good is a chain supposed to do?" she asked as the boy smirked and patted the chain.

"You'll see, you'll see," he said as the girl pouted and crossed her arms, annoyed that he wouldn't tell her. "Hey thanks by the way, for checking if I was okay," Jaune said as Ruby smiled.

"It's alright, I want to be a huntress so I can help people, make the world a better place. And if helping one of them that has stomach problems, then I know I've just made it just a little bit better." She said as Jaune chuckled.

"Thanks, I really could use a friend like you," he said as Ruby looked a little stunned at this.

"Friend? You see me as a friend?" she asked hopefully as Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, my mum always used to say that 'Friends are just strangers you haven't met yet. And well, who's more of a stranger than you, 'Crater Face'?" Jaune said as Ruby blushed and started hitting him with small fists.

"I told you that was an accident!" she said as Jaune laughed at her attempts.

It was then that Jaune realised that the entire time he had spent talking with her, he didn't feel the other guy stirring. It was the first time in so long that he could have a normal conversation with someone that wasn't hiding dark or had the stench of blood and terrible secrets. It was like he was normal all over again. It was...Nice.

"Hey um...do you know where we're going?" Ruby suddenly said as Jaune blinked.

"Me? I was following you?" he asked as the girl shook her head.

"Oh," she said as Jaune sighed.

"Think they have a directory?" he asked as Ruby giggled. "Maybe a food court? Some kind of recognisable landmark?" Ruby snorted this time as she tried to hold in her laughter. "Is, uh... Is that a 'no'?"

"That's a no," she said as Jaune sighed and shook his head. He looked around as he spotted the large tower at the centre of the school.

"Maybe over there?" he said as he pointed to what appeared to be the auditorium. Ruby only shrugged her shoulders as she and Jaune decided to head to the building. Luckily, they were proven correct, as the came across multiple other students gathered around a large stage. Jaune instantly could feel the sins again, the ones from that Weiss girl and the girl with the black bow. But he seemed to be able to hold it back if Ruby was close by him.

"Ruby!" a voice suddenly called out as they turned their heads. "Over here, I saved you a spot!" a girl with long blond hair and large...assets, Jaune couldn't look and not blush, as Ruby instantly recognised the blond girl.

"That's my sister, I got to go, I'll see after the ceremony," she said as Jaune tried to stop her.

"No Ruby wait!" Jaune tried to call out all too late, as she had already gone to her sister's side and the entity stirred inside him again. He instantly grabbed his head as each small sin echoed to him. The smaller sins normally wouldn't bother the other guy inside him. But this many in such a large number, add on to the large ones from what he could only guess were the teachers, plus the two girls he saw this morning, he was barely able to hang on. He stumbled away, as he went to the farthest wall that he could find, hoping that no one wouldn't notice his behaviour.

Never noticing the redhead girl that was standing behind him and watching him curiously.

He leant against a pillar as he rested his head against the stone material and whispered to himself. "Come on, seriously? They are just kids, you can't seriously be wanting to kill them, are you?" he said as a small voice echoed in his ears. "I don't care about that girl, the one with the bow. Well, she might have a reason why she has blood on her hands. Just leave her." The whispering returned as Jaune frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean you recognise her? From where?" a small response returned as Jaune blinked in confusion. "The base?" he said as he looked around the room. "But...what was a human doing there?" he asked as the voice echoed again.

"What do you mean she's not human? What else could she-" he never got his answer as the hall lights dimmed and the stage was illuminated as Glynda and Ozpin walked onto the stage as Ozpin tapped the microphone and began to speak.

"I'll... keep this brief. You have travelled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people." He spoke as everyone felt a hint of pride at his words. "But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction". At this the students began whispering among themselves "Some of you assume that knowledge will free you of this, some of you are here to start a new life from your old ones. Others..."

His gaze lingered over to Jaune as Jaune stared back at him, "Are here because you wish to control that which you don't understand. Something that could be...dangerous," he said as the students became confused as Jaune and Ozpin both sensed something different radiating off the other, something...off? "But your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." He finished as he walked off stage.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed." Said as the students began to move out of the hall, Jaune still staring at the stage as he felt the entity stir within him.

"Yeah, I noticed it too...he's hiding something...but what?" he asked as he shook his head and made his way to the hall.

* * *

Later that Night, Beacon Hall

* * *

Ruby hummed to herself as she sat on her futon and wrote in the small book she brought with her from Patch. The small book was a little reminder from the life she left behind, and the friends she had to leave too. Suddenly she felt a familiar presence land beside her as her sister smirked at her.

"It's like one big slumber party," Yang said as Ruby ignored her and continued to write in her book.

"I don't think dad would approve of all the boy's," she said as she absently pointed her pencil to all the boys that were shirtless and flexing their muscles.

"I know I do," Yang said as she continued to admire the male physic, Ruby rolling her eyes as she continued to write in her book. "So, what are doing?" she asked as Ruby smiled to herself.

"I am writing a letter to the gang back at Signal. I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going." She said as Yang smirked.

"Aw, that's so **cuuuute**!" she said only to have pillow slam into her face as Ruby glared at her.

"Shut up! I didn't get to take my friends with me to school! It's weird not knowing anyone here!" she groaned as she put her face to the mattress.

"What about that guy you were talking about, what's his name, Jaune? He seems like a nice guy! There you go! Plus, one friend! That's a hundred percent increase!" she said as Ruby shook her head.

"I guess, but he's a little weird don't you think?" she asked as Yang raised an eyebrow. "After you left, he was leaning against a tree and whispering to himself. I don't know what was happening, but it looked like he was in a lot of pain?" she said as Yang frowned at this.

"So, what, you think he's...ill or something?" she asked as Ruby shook her head.

"I don't know, it was like he was...just weird." She said as an awkward silence lingered between them as Ruby looked out for the first boy she met. But could not find him anywhere. Raising concern for Ruby, as she worried for her first new friend at Beacon.

* * *

Meanwhile, Beacon Garage

* * *

The sound of a socket wrench echoed in the garage as Jaune sat beside a black chopper styled motorcycle, as he was tightening a loose bolt on one the engine. A small dabble of grease lined his cheek as he shifted the spanner over to another bolt, loosened and inspected the part before placing it back into the engine. He wiped a hand across his forehead, as he looked over the old motorbike. One of the few items he had left to remind him of the family he lost. The old chopper style bike was a project his father and himself worked on back in Anima.

Images of his father and himself flashed before his eyes, his mind remembering a time when he would work on the bike with his father, the man showing him the different parts and mechanics of the machine as he smiled at the small boy. Jaune in the present, however, just sighed as he shook his head and continued to work on the machine.

"Can't sleep?" a voice said as Jaune turned around to see Ozpin standing at the edge of the doorframe.

"Too crowded in there, I like to keep myself away from as many people as I can. Less chance of me losing control and hurting someone. Also, because one of your students has a rather checked past, had to get away from her, for her own sake." Jaune said as he worked on the bike.

"Miss Belladonna I presume?" he turned to the headmaster as he gestured to his head. "Black bow on the top of her head?" he asked as Jaune nodded. "You need not worry about her past, Mister Arc. I am willing to overlook it seeing as she left that life behind her. I am not at liberty to say what life she left behind, so long as she did." He said as he took a sip of his coffee.

"I understand but I think I'll staying here tonight, at least until I managed to convince him not to hurt her. She knows someone bad, I mean someone insanely bad and the 'other guy' won't hesitate to just rip that knowledge from her. So, I'll stay here, just in case. Plus, working on this bike helps me keep 'him' in check. No clue why though?" Jaune said as he returned to his work. Ozpin nodded as he walked over to the bike. His eyes wandering over the black paint job and the dark grey steel of the metal frame.

"A rather impressive machine," he said as Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, my dad and I worked on it together. Every weekend we would put this thing together, take it for a test run then work on its some more. It was...one of our favourite things to do."

"Before his death?" he asked as Jaune nodded.

"Yeah...before their deaths," Jaune said as he placed the socket wrench down and grabbed another tool. "If it's alright with you, I'd rather just stay in here. There is less chance something bad could happen, and I'd...like to be alone," Ozpin stared at the boy and the bike before he nodded.

"Very well Mister Arc," he said as he turned to leave before Jaune spoke again.

"By the way," he said as the man stopped. "The other reason I want to be in here is because I can hear everybody sin's, even yours...and I got to say it's a lot..." Ozpin said nothing as he walked away and Jaune sighed. He placed the socket wrench on and twisted.

* * *

Midnight – The Streets of Vale

* * *

The sounds of an engine roaring down the streets echoed in the night, as a black unmarked van came screeching down the street. The tires screeching as they turned around the corner, as a pursuit vehicle was right on their tail. Gunshots resonating in the night as the black van shot at the police car.

"You idiots! I told you to check for alarms!" the driver said as he drove recklessly on the road, trying his best to avoid the cops.

"Hey! it's not my fault! They must have upgraded the security since the last job!" one of the men wearing a ski mask said as he shot out of the open back doors, bags full of Lien and Dust scattered on the floor as three other men fired at the police. The pursuit vehicle swerved out of the way of the bullets as they returned fire themselves.

"These cops aren't relenting!" one of the thugs said as he reloaded his gun, "Shit! This is the last time I do a job for Torchwick!" the man said as he fired on the police. One of the other thugs hefted something on his shoulder as he smirked.

"Here, let's see them chase us after this," the man said as the police officer's eyes widened at this.

"RPG!" the officer said just as the thug fired, the rocket narrowly missed the vehicle but caused it to flip and crash into the side of the road. The thugs cheered as they sped off into the distance.

"HA! We showed them!" the driver said as he turned away from the road.

But in that moment, when his eyes were drawn away from the road, everything changed. On this one night, one woman was walking home from work. She had just done an eight-hour shift at the local diner and needed to head home for the next shift. Normally she would have taken a safer route back to her apartment, but after working for eight hours straight, she just wanted to head home. Back to her lonely apartment, and just lie down in her bed. So, she took a shorter route. Which put her directly in the path of the van turning the corner.

Tires screeching and the flash of lights was the last thing the woman ever saw as her screams echoed on the night.

* * *

Jaune grabbed his head in pain as he felt an intense burning slithered beneath his skin, the socket wrench clanking on the floor, as the sound of a woman screaming resonated in his ears. Her face flashed before his eyes as he knew what was happening...

The 'Other Guy' had sensed injustice.

"Oh No... No, no, not now!" He suddenly felt a jolt as he lost control over his entire body. His feet scraping against the floor as he felt himself be forced towards his motorbike, small flames erupted from his shoes as flaming footprints trailed behind him.

"Wait! Stop! You don't have to do this!" he begged and pleaded, but had little effect as he was soon placed on the seat. As soon as he was on the bike, his hands went straight for the handles and the engine roared to life. His sense became dull and his vision blurred as 'the Other Guy' had taken control. With a twist of the throttle, the bike sped out of the garage and zoomed off towards the city, the roar of the engine echoing into the night as Ozpin watched from atop his tower.

"Ozpin," Glynda said as she stood beside him.

"Follow him, and report anything that you see. We need to know what is inside him. We need to know what we're dealing with," he said as Glynda nodded and left for the elevator. And as soon as he was alone, the man walked over to his desk as he inspected an old book that he kept in the archives titled...

Legends and Myths of the Old Gods...

* * *

"Shit! Was that a person!?" one of the thugs said as the van continued to drive away from more perusing cops. "Did we just run someone over!? I didn't sign up for this shit!" he said as driver shook his head.

"Who cares? It was just a fucking Faunus, nobody gives a shit about them! Just keep them off our tail!" he said as the others nodded and continued firing on the reinforcements that we called in.

Meanwhile, back where the woman was just run over, the sound of a motorbike engine could be heard as the bike pulled up next to the body. The hooded figure on the bike peered down before it got off and walked towards the body as the man kneeled and looked at the woman. The woman was in her early twenties had beautiful hazel coloured eyes and two cat-like ears on the top of her head. But the rest of her body was mangled, a tire mark on her chest, blood pooling around her form and her eyes staring blankly at the night sky. The figure held a hand out as he closed her eyelids shut and bowed his hooded head.

He then turned to the road and the sounds of gunfire in the distance as from the darkness of his hood, two orange eyes glowed in the darkness. He then got up and sat back on the bike, the sounds of the engine roaring to life as fire jetted out of the exhaust. The tires screeching on the pavement as the rider sped off after the noise, a trial of fire left in its wake.

"Shit! Who are these guys!" one of the policemen said as they chased after the vehicle, the man next growled as he swerved the car out of the way to avoid incoming bullets.

"Don't know! Think they're connected to Torchwick?!" he asked as his partner didn't' saying anything and just shot at the van. "Precinct this Car 14! We need more backup immediately! Suspects are armed and extremely dangerous! They just killed a civilian! A definite Hit and Run!" he spoke on the radio as his eyes widened.

"Another RPG!" his partner yelled as he spun the wheel and narrowly avoided the rocket. Unfortunately, it hit the second pursuing vehicle and killed the officers inside. But luckily the others did survive but caused the axis of the car to snap and stop altogether. "Shit! Precinct, pursuit vehicle is down! Need back up immediately! Is anyone after these guys!?" No sooner did he say that did something dashed past them, the sound of an engine roaring like a demon in the night as a trail of fire followed behind him.

"...Never mind," he said as he and his partner watched in awe.

The thugs in the van were confident in themselves as they sped down the streets. "That did it! It will take them another few minutes before another dispatch is sent!" one of the thugs said as his partner grinned under his mask.

"And by then it will be too late!" he said as they cheered. They had just stolen a large amount of Dust and Lien and they were almost at the drop-off point for the goods. Then they would be paid and go their separate ways, thanks to an insider in the Vale Police department. They would lay low, sneak out of the Kingdom and no one would be the wiser...

Almost

The sounds of the roaring engine caught their attention as they turned to see a figure on a black motorcycle riding towards them, his head covered by his hood as flames shot of the exhaust pipes. The roar of the engine sounded almost demonic as the figure narrowed his gaze on the van and pulled back on the throttle and rocketed towards the van.

"What the hell?" one of the thugs said before the figure grabbed his shotgun out his holster and blasted his head to bits.

"Holy shit!" the other thug said as his partner's head was splattered into flaming chunks, the body falling out of the van and tumbled on the road. The Rider just passing the body as he mostly focused on the remaining four men in the van. Two more shots echoed from the gun as the rest of the men grabbed their guns and opened fire on the rider. But the bullets didn't even seem to worry him, as they either missed or bounced off his motorbike.

"Fuck! Who is this guy!" he said as they fired on the rider.

"Who cares! Just kill him!" another said as he shot at the Rider.

The Rider dodging and speeding closer to the van as the flames sprouted higher from the bike, his eyes glowed even brighter as smoke began to rise from his hood. The thug felt a tap on his shoulder as the other thug with the rocket launcher aimed it at the rider. The rocket sailing from the van as it shot straight towards the rider, as the rider didn't even bother to move out of the way, and collided into the bike creating a large explosion that illuminated the dark streets with an orange glow.

"HA! Take that asshole!" he screamed as the others cheered. But then grew silent as the rider burst from the flames, the wheels now consumed in the flames, as the rider was no less damaged the bike itself. The Rider almost seemed laugh as it sped closer to the van.

"What the fuck!" the men screamed before the Rider whipped out a long glowing chain from his chest and threw it at the van. The fiery chain, almost as if it was alive, shot towards the van and wrapped itself around the back axis of the wheels. The rider then jerked back his arm violently as the entire axis of the van was ripped out from underneath and sent the van flipping through the air.

The van tumbled and crashed across the road as the occupants inside were thrown around in the van. The Van came to a halt as it crashed into the side of a building, the van now upside down as the driver was knocked unconscious and the others were stumbling to get back up.

The Rider then pulled up as the back of the Van burst open and the three other men stumbled into the street. The Rider gripped his handles as he got off the bike and started walking towards them. He grabbed the handle of the sword on his back and faced the three men. The robbers quickly glared at the rider as the rider himself just glared back with orange glowing eyes.

"You're a dead man!" one of them, the large man with the rocket launcher said, as he charged at the man.

The rider easily evaded his swing as he swiped his sword at the man's chest, the sword instantly bursting into flames, as he cut the man in half and disintegrated him to ashes. The other two could only stare in absolute horror as they just watched their friend burst into ashes, as the Rider then turned his head to the others as the sword's flames briefly illuminated his face. Revealing for a moment a skull in its place as he roared and dashed towards the two.

The driver just regained consciousness, as he could hear screams coming from outside the van and turned to see the shadows that danced across the building, showing him the fate of his friends. The shadowy figures of his friends tried to run, but the third merely cut them down as the sword's shadow cut them in half and they disintegrated into dust. The driver felt his heart quicken in his chest as the Riders shadow turned to his direction and walk towards the upside-down van. He tried to remove his seatbelt but struggled as the latch wouldn't release.

Suddenly the driver's door was ripped from its hinges and tossed aside as the rider grabbed the man by his shirt and threw him out of the van. He tumbled across the ground as he came to a stop against the wall of the building. The man tried to crawl away, only to be grabbed by his shirt and slammed against the wall. The rider stared into his eyes as the hood shrouded the riders face. He then removed his hood as Jaune stared at the man's face.

"You killed that woman back there! She was innocent, and you ran her over!" the figure said as with a voice that sent chills down his spine.

"S-S-She got in the way! I-I-I was trying to avoid the cops! It's not my fault she decided to get in the way! Besides, it was just a fucking Faunus! Nobody cares about those freaks!" The rider only slammed him into the wall as orange eyes glared into his own.

"SHE WAS **INNOCENT!"** the rider screamed as small wisps of smoke drifted from his skin. The rider grunted as he the man looked confused as the Rider looked up as his eyes glowed.

" **And now you'll suffer..."**

What happened next would forever be ingrained in the man's final moments as the boy's head began to flake away as everything from skin to muscle were burned away to reveal a clean skull with multiple cracks running across the surface and fire dancing around its form. A demonic roar seemed to echo in the distance as beady orange eyes resonated from the sockets that once contained his eyes as the man could only stare in horror at the monster before him.

" **Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent"** the monster said with a deep and terrifying voice, as the man tried to scream but found he had no voice, the Rider then grabbed both sides of his face as his eyes glowed brighter. **"Feel their pain!"** the being said as the man finally found his voice.

And he screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the man could only scream as fire erupted from Jaune's eyes and straight into the man's.

The man could feel everything he had done in his life. All the pain he had ever inflicted on his wife, his son, to the even the woman he had run over moments ago. He could feel everything and it hurt. It hurt so much that he just wanted it to end. But it never seemed to end as the flames continued to burn. Finally, it stopped as he fell to the ground, dead, his eyes completely burned away and horror etched permanently on his face.

The Rider only stared at the body as the flames flickered off the top of his scalp. He then turned his head to the rooftops as he spotted the terrified the look of Glynda as she could only stare in horror at the sight. The Rider then shook its head as it got back on the bike and sped off into the distance, back to Beacon Academy. Glynda stumbled back from the rooftops as she quickly typed on her scroll and waited for the dial tone to end.

"Glynda?"

"Ozpin...w-we need to talk...Its-Its...I-I don't even know where to begin..." she looked to the flaming trail that led back to the school as she felt afraid for the first time in her life. "But I think we just invited something worse than Salem into the school..."

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter II of Rider of Remnant, I hope it was to your satisfactions. I worked hard on it and I hope I added in just the right amount of the Ghost Rider into the story. I wanted to focus this part on Jaune and the struggle he must deal with the rider. And how in this story he needs to isolate himself, not for his safety, but everyone else. Which I still needed to make sure that he was still Jaune at the same time, the same dork that everyone loves. Just with a demonic presence.**

 **Also, I hope you liked the way I handled the Blake and Weiss confrontation. I needed to think of how the Rider would react to Blake and her checkered past. She has done things for the White Fang, hopefully not killing innocent people, but the bigger problem would be her connection to Adam, who would be soaked in blood. And then there is Weiss who would have to deal with all the repercussions her father has done to her family's name, staining the reputation with blood and pain. So, I hope I've done that right.**

 **Stay tuned for Chapter III of Rider of Remnant.**


	3. Chapter III: The Riders First Step

RWBY: The Rider of Remnant

"There was someone there that day when my home was destroyed. But he wasn't a Good Samaritan, he was something else and whatever he had, he passed it on to me. Now there is something inside of me, something I can barely control. It's like a fire that can never be doused, a rage that cannot be quelled...and a spirit of undying vengeance."

* * *

Chapter III: The Riders First Step

* * *

Blue eyes slowly opened as Jaune groaned on the floor of the garage at Beacon, a dull ringing echoing in his ears as he slowly stood up with the taste of ash and brimstone lingering in his mouth. The taste alone told him what he already knew. 'The Rider' had taken his body for a drive. His stomach churned as he got up off the floor and quickly ran to a bucket on the far side of the room. He upheaved all his stomach contents as fragments of what happened last night flooded his mind. The stench of burnt flesh, the look of fear in the men's eyes as he cut them down like rice paper and immense rage he felt when he stood over the poor woman's corpse. It was enough to make the poor boy sick to his stomach, which it did.

Contrary to what people knew, Jaune was somewhat aware of what the Rider did when he took over his body, and he would often have fragmented memories of the previous events. A soft whispering echoed in his ear as he turned and glared.

"Of course, I am not okay! You hijacked my body again! I told you not to do that!" the whispering returned as Jaune stood up, "I don't care if they were guilty! You hijacked my body and murdered them! Killed them in cold blood instead of handing them to the police! I know they were bad people, but there is a system to these things! That's how it's supposed to work!" more whispering echoed as he shook his head.

"No! No! The only reason I let you into my body was to protect my sister! That's it! Not to part of your insane crusade against injustice!" the whispering grew louder and angrier as Jaune grabbed his head in agony until "I don't care about your mission! JUST SHUT UP!" he yelled as the voice finally quieted down as he glanced around the room. He panted and breathed in heavy breaths as he looked around the room and cursed.

"Fuck!" he said as he kicked a spare bucket across the room.

\- "All applicants please make your way to the locker rooms and grab your equipment. I repeat, all students please make your way to the locker rooms and grab your equipment" -

Jaune was going to ignore that announcement when he noticed that his weapons were not on his body from last night. Which meant that the rider took his weapons and placed them back in the locker. Which he wondered why it even bothered but had learned to not question the strange habits the Rider did when he was in control. He sighed as he brushed a hand through his hair as he left the garage.

"Guess I'm not having breakfast today," he said as he left the room and soon found himself in the locker room.

His eyes wandering all over the room as students were grabbing their weapons from their lockers and placing them on their bodies. He spied Ruby next to what he could assume was the sister she talked about yesterday, as she seemed to be fixated on stoking the large weapons that she had. For some reason, beyond his understanding, the mere presence of her seemed to calm the Rider within him. Like her aura had this soothing effect on him that made him feel at ease, despite the negative energy that surrounded him.

However, he needed to find his weapons as he went and searched for his locker _. '636, 636, why did I put my weapons in 636? I don't usually count that high? Oh well, at least it's not 66- well, we don't need to go into that,'_ he thought to himself as he made his way to his locker.

In the meantime, his mind was wandering back to yesterday with those two girls and why it was that Ruby seemed to make the Rider calm? What was it about that girl that caused it to relax and not go out of control? Whatever it was, he was just glad that he had some peace from the Rider.

"Hey, did you hear? Last night a bunch of robbers got attacked by some guy on a motorbike?" he suddenly overheard as he turned to see a group of students talking to each other. "Apparently, these guys robbed a big Dust store downtown and tried to outrun the cops, but ran over a woman in the process,"

"Shit, I heard about that. And from what I heard, when the guy found them, he killed them all and burned the driver from the inside out. Brutal way to kill someone,"

"And I also heard that someone saw the guy on the motorbike ride away with his skull on fire,"

"What? No way, that kind of thing can't really exist? It has a semblance of some kind?"

"I don't know man, I've never heard of a semblance that can set a man's head on fire?" he said as Jaune chose to ignore them and walked to his locker.

' _Shit, now I really need to make sure no one else finds out about the Other Guy. Okay, I just need to get my weapons and make it through this exam. I mean the last thing I need is bumping into anyone that can trigger- ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?'_ he screamed in his head as the same white wearing girl from yesterday was standing in front of his locker, talking to some other girl wearing red and bronze like armour.

' _Seriously!? Of all the lockers, she had to be in front of, it had to be mine!'_ he panicked as already he could sense the Rider stir within him.

Now just to clear up any misunderstanding, it wasn't to say that the Rider sensed that Weiss was a bad person, it was just that she knew someone who had a major effect on her life. Someone who had a mountain of blood and sin on their hands, that the residual energy could be sensed radiating off her as well. The Rider didn't care about her, he just sensed her relation to someone worse. But still, Weiss was somewhat aware of the true nature of her company and chose not to acknowledge it. Which was a sin, a small sin but a sin none the less.

The Rider whispered in his ear as Jaune shook it off, "Oi! Quit it! It's not her fault! Just bare with it while I get my stuff!" he commanded as the Rider relented, but still pushed at the corner of his mind. Carefully he moved towards the pair as he heard the end of their conversation.

"So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!" Weiss praised the red-haired girl before as the girl, now known as Pyrrha smiled at her.

"Hmm... I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may?" she said as Weiss nodded at this.

"Well... I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together?" she asked as the girl nodded.

"Well, that sounds grand!" she said with a warm smile while nodded her head.

"Great!" she said as looked calm and collected on the outside, but on the inside, she was jumping with joy. _'This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together we will be unstoppable! I can see it now! We'll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades! Nothing can come between us now!'_ she said with a manic smile on her face as she planned for the next four years of popularity and fame.

"Um, excuse me? Could you please move? You're standing in front of my locker?" she was instantly brought back to reality as she turned around to see a tall blond scraggly boy, wearing a black leather biker jacket and white armour on his chest. From his look and his clothes, she instantly found him to be an annoying rough scallion that would dare interrupt her fantasy world of partnering up with Pyrrha Nikos. Someone who was hardly worth her time.

"Excuse me?" she said with a rude tone in her voice.

"Well, it's just that you're standing in front of my locker and I need to get my weapons out," he said as Weiss was about to rebut him when she was pushed to the side.

"Sorry," Pyrrha said "We didn't know this was someone's locker? We thought everyone had already grabbed their gear," she said as Jaune nodded.

"It's okay, I only just woke up so I am kind of running a little behind," he said as he reached into his locker and grabbed his shotgun, his sword and the chain and wrapped it around his chest. "I am Jaune by the way, Jaune Arc, " he said as Pyrrha blinked in surprise but smiled and shook his hand.

"Delighted, I am Pyrrha, Pyrrha Nikos," she said as Jaune nodded.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Pyrrha," he said as took the chance to look at Pyrrha as he felt something similar to Ruby. _'It's like she's pure, but not fully innocent like Ruby, but she has this kind and gentle aura to her that's putting the other guy at ease. It's...really nice,'_ he thought as he and she just stared at each other until Weiss got in between them and shoved herself in front of him.

"Excuse me, Jaune is it? Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" she asked as Jaune looked at her, then Pyrrha and then back to her.

"Uh no? Should I?" he asked as both girls blinked slightly in surprise.

"H-How could you not know her? She is The Pyrrha Nikos!" he looked over as she waved.

"Hello again~"

"Pyrrha graduated from Sanctum Academy! One of the best Primary Combat Schools in Remnant!"

"I have no idea where that is?" he said as Pyrrha blinked in shock with a small smile on her face.

"She's won the Mistral Region Tournaments four years in a row! A new record!" she said as Pyrrha blushed at the praise.

"Um...Congratulations?" he said as the smile on Pyrrha's face grew.

"She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!" she said as she began to wave her arms around in a furious manner while Jaune still looked confused.

"I've been on the road for the past two years, I haven't had any cereal in a long time, plus I heard it's not very good for you? No offence," he said as Pyrrha could only stare with complete awe and hope before smiling.

"None taken, I find the cereal to be very unhealthy myself," she said as she smiled brightly at the boy, while Weiss looked absolutely flabbergasted. Luckily, she managed to hold down any outburst as she looked at the boy with a glare.

"So, after hearing all that, do you honestly think you deserve to be partnered with someone like Pyrrha?" she said as Jaune blinked in surprise.

"Partnered? What are you talking about? What partner?" he asked as his voice became a little hitched, as Pyrrha and Weiss looked at him confused.

"The Partner System, the system that pairs up students with others into a four-man group. It's part of the curriculum to promote teamwork and cooperation with other students and Kingdoms, didn't they teach you about this stuff at your Training Academy?" Pyrrha asked as Jaune shook his head.

"No! I've never been to a training Academy! I didn't know we would be partnered up with someone!" he said as he placed his hand against the looked and looked distressed. "That silver haired bastard didn't tell me anything about that when he asked me to join here! If he did, I would have never accepted his offer! Oh, man! What am I going to do!?" Jaune panicked as had now crouched down onto the floor as Pyrrha, Weiss looked at the distressed boy, just as an announcement came over the radio.

\- "Attention, all Students please head to the Cliffs for the Entrance Examination, I repeat, all students please head to the Cliffs for the Entrance Exam," -

"Um, Jaune? Are you alright?" Pyrrha said while Weiss scoffed at the sight.

"Pathetic, how could this rapscallion not know about the Partner System? And did he say he never attended a training Academy before? Unbelievable!" she said as she turned her head in disgust at the boy, while Pyrrha bent down and comforted him.

"Relax, I am sure everything will be alright. In fact, I would be more than happy to be partnered up with someone like you," she said as Weiss snapped her head in shock at this, while Jaune looked up at the girl with pure awe in his eyes. But then shook his head as he got up.

"I don't think being partnered with me is a good idea," he said as Weiss and Pyrrha looked confused. "It's not that I don't think we'd be good partners, believe me...it's just that bad things happen to me and I'd rather you not get involved with my life." He said as he began to walk away.

"So, thank you for the offer, but I think it would be best if you partnered up with someone else. Trust me, the further anyone is away from me...the safer you'll be," he said as he brought his hood up and covered his face.

Weiss only scoffed as she held her head up, "Good riddance, now Pyrrha, how about we head to the cliffs and start this thing...Pyrrha?" she said as Pyrrha continued to look at the strange boy retreating from the locker room. In a way, she felt sad for him, the way he seemed to push away her offer. And yet she didn't know why, but for some reason, she felt like she wanted to prove him wrong and partner up with him. Plus, he was the only person she had ever meet that didn't know a thing about her, and even when he did, he still treated her like a person! A fire grew inside her as she clenched her fist in determination.

' _Just you wait, Jaune Arc, I'll prove you wrong and show you there's nothing to be afraid of!'_ she thought while Weiss looked at the girl strangely.

"What?"

* * *

Later – Beacon Cliffs to the Emerald Forest

* * *

Jaune stared out at the vast green ocean of forest as the breeze drifted across the treetops and created a wave like illusion like the entire surface was just a large body of water. It was truly a beautiful sight, a sight Jaune often took his time to admire whenever he had the chance. It was one of the only things that reminded him of how pure the world truly was...until he would be pulled right back into the dark depths of society, as the Rider would take him to the darkest depths of humanity and then punish them with his flames of vengeance.

"Hey Jaune!" a voice suddenly spoke as Ruby came walking over to him.

"Oh, hey Ruby, ready for the exam?" he said as she nodded and stood next to him.

"Sure am, I just hope I get a partner that's really nice?" she said as Jaune nodded.

"You and me both," he said as he looked to his left.

He spotted everyone lines up on the tiles that were strangely placed on the cliff, he noticed a black-haired boy and orange haired girl talking about what sounds a sloth made, that white wearing girl Weiss and the nice girl Pyrrha as they stood down further from him. A little closer was Yang and her sister Ruby, who stood right next to him as she smiled at him. The Yang girl didn't seem to care much for him as she just looked out at the forest while playing with a pair of Aviator glasses in her hand. He spotted a few more, like a boy with heavy metal armour with a gold bird on the chest, to a kid with a Mohawk and sleeveless vest.

And at the front of them all was the man who offered him a place here, and the woman who saw what he truly was last night. Headmaster Ozpin and Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch. Though for some reason Glynda was looking at him with what Jaune could only be described as fear but tried to hide it under a stoic facade. Ozpin too looking at him strangely as he could only assume it was because of what Glynda saw last night, as he was aware of her presence on the roof top.

* * *

Hours Earlier – Headmaster Ozpin's Office

* * *

"You cannot be seriously thinking of allowing him to stay!" Glynda said as she slammed her hands on his desk. "You saw what he did to those men! He butchered them and turned them into dust! We cannot allow someone of that calibre into our school! He could lose control of whatever that-that thing is inside of him! And we still don't even know what it is we are dealing with!" Glynda yelled right into the man's face as he calmly sipped his cup of coffee.

"I can understand your concerns Miss Goodwitch, but the fact of the matter is that we need him here. With Salem targeting the Maidens, and no doubt the relics, we need to gather as many strong fighters that we can get. And mister Arc is one of them, he's abilities could prove useful,"

"But we have no idea what he is!" she yelled again as she slammed her fist into the table. "There is no mention of anything like it in the old texts, and there is certainly no mention of a man with a flaming skull, who can kill a man by staring into his eyes! Whoever or whatever is inside of him it is dangerous! We should send him away immediately! And who is to say that Salem didn't send him to us to trick us!? For all we know he could be a spy!" she said as the man pressed a few keys on his desk.

"Salem didn't send him," he said as images of the run over woman appeared on the holograph.

"I know Salem and her agents, they have no remorse or sympathy for anyone, least of all human life. The creature that exists inside Mister Arc is different," he said as the Rider possessed Jaune stood over the woman and then closed her eyes in respect.

"I have no doubt that whatever is inside Mister Arc it is not a mindless and cruel beast, but rather some sort of protector, that the Gods may have sent to save us...but from which God is yet to be seen," he said as Jaune's fight appeared on the screen before going static just as flames started to erupt from his head.

"I will not deny that the creature inside him is dangerous, but at times like these, we cannot be picky with the gifts that are given us. If we can help Mister Arc control this entity, learn to direct its power towards our enemy, then we may have a powerful ally on our side. One that I hope Salem can only dream to match," Glynda scrunched her face as she shook her head at him.

"You are playing with fire Ozpin, and one of these days you going to get burned with it. I just pray that it doesn't burn everyone else as well," she said as she marched her way out of the room while the man was left to the solitude of his tower. He sighed as he looked at the images of Jaune slicing the men into ash, and the footage of him ripping the back of van off its axis.

"I pray you're right, Glynda...I pray that you're right..."

* * *

Back to the Present – Beacon Cliffs to the Emerald Forest

* * *

Ozpin cleared his voice as he stood before the young hopefuls. "For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." The man said as he stretched his hand out to the Emerald Forest as Glynda then stood before him, but sent a cautious glance to Jaune who didn't respond to her gaze.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumours about the assignment of "teams." Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... **today**." She said as Ruby spoke.

"What? Ohhh..." she said as Jaune raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So, it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin said as Ruby looked over to Weiss and gulped. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

The World Around Ruby Rose suddenly cracked as it shattered into a million pieces. "WHAT!" she screamed as her shoulder then slumped and a cloud of depression hung over her head.

"See, I told you!" Jaune heard coming from the orange haired girl as he only shrugged his shoulders.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you **will** die." He said as some of the students became nervous at this. Jaune however, was unafraid, as what he had made it nearly impossible to die.

"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" he asked as Jaune raised his hand.

"Uh, yeah, how exactly are we getting- into the forest-" "None? Good, now take your positions," he interrupted as everyone began to pose on their tiles. Then one by one, from the furthest end of the line, students were suddenly launched into the air, as Jaune understood how they would be getting into the forest.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me?" he said as he grabbed the chain off his chest and held it in his hands. Ruby noticed this as she raised her eyebrow.

"How is that going to help?" she asked as Weiss and Cardin were launched into the air.

"Ruby, what have I told you about dissing the chain?" he said as Ren and Nora were then launched into the air. Yang looked back at her sister, grinned while putting on her aviator glasses and then sailed through the air. Ruby smirked as she was launched into the air, while Jaune was ready to go but found he hadn't launched yet.

"What in the?"

"Mister Arc," Ozpin said as Jaune turned back to the man, "I do hope you try to restrain yourself in the forest. I can only assume your entity comes out from negative emotion or sin. The Emerald Forest is filled to the brim with Grimm and I would hate to see you lose control from the sheer number of them. We can't have any student dying under out watch now," he said as Jaune continued to stare but then nodded.

"You, don't have to worry..." he said as the gears under his platform began to move. "The Grimm are usually more afraid of me," he said as Ozpin raised an eyebrow before he was launched into the air. Leaving the two teachers to ponder what he meant by that.

"What did he mean, the Grimm are more afraid of him?" Glynda asked as the man only stared at the flying boy.

"I don't know Glynda...I honestly don't know...and that truly frightens me," he said as they looked out into the Emerald Forest, wondering what would happen within the forest, now that the Rider had entered the fray and what it would mean for the rest of the world.

* * *

 **And Scene, well here is Chapter III of The Rider of Remnant. Sorry for the short Chapter, but I am planning on needing another chapter to write the battle I have planned in the next event. Now to address something, the Jaune in my story has no idea of how the Academy System works because he had been on the road for the past two years. He is unaware of a partnering system and the last thing he wanted as for someone to get close to him.  
**

 **Because he is afraid of what could happen if he let someone get too close to him and the Rider senses something on them. He fears for not his life, but for others, that's why the Jaune in my story is a bit of a loner. But he will become more open as the story progresses and began to see the benefits of being with others, something he has forgotten since he became the new Rider and losing his family. Also, I am keeping the teams and partners the same, I like them and can't ever think of changing that.**

 **But now that Jaune is in the Emerald Forest, what will happen and how will the Rider react to all the Grimm. And what does Jaune mean when the Grimm are usually afraid of him? Find out in Chapter IV.**


	4. Chapter IV: Forest Fire

RWBY: The Rider of Remnant

"There was someone there that day when my home was destroyed. But he wasn't a Good Samaritan, he was something else and whatever he had, he passed it on to me. Now there is something inside of me, something I can barely control. It's like a fire that can never be doused, a rage that cannot be quelled...and a spirit of undying vengeance."

* * *

Chapter IV: Forest Fire

* * *

The wind was rushing past his ears as Jaune Arc fell from the sky, not something one would normally start a story with, but in the case of Jaune's life, this was not the strangest thing he had ever done. His eyes wandered briefly as he noticed everyone else already beginning to land. Ruby used her rifles recoil, the girl she called Yang using her Gauntlets to propel herself and that boy with the black hair using his guns to slide down the tree. He even spotted that nice girl Pyrrha...as she smashed her way through several trees...

"Seriously are all the girls at this school insanely strong?" Jaune asked before he noticed he was getting closer to the ground. "Oh crap!" he said as he spun the chain and latched it onto a branch. The chain went taut as he swung around the tree and flew towards the forest floor, but not before going through a couple of branches. He quickly drew his sword and stabbed it into a tree, slowing his descent to the floor before coming to a complete stop. He breathed in some calming breaths as he hung from the tree.

"Not my best landing, but better than nothing," he said as flicked his wrist and the chain instantly wrapped itself around his chest.

He then let go off his blade as he fell towards the forest floor and landed as he brushed off some of the leaves and twigs that he caught during his descent. He looked around the forest as he noticed how quiet it was, from the soft sound of the branches moving in the wind to the scamper of small animals that resonated all around him as he stood in the middle the forest. Red eyes then glared from the darkness as Jaune glared back as he slowly reached for his shotgun, the pupils of his own glowing orange as the red eyes recoiled. Suddenly he heard a twig snap as he spun around and pointed his shotgun at the noise, only to discover it was Pyrrha as she held up her hands.

"Friendly!" she said as Jaune blinked before realising what he had almost done.

"Oh shit, sorry! It's an old habit!" he said as he sheathed his gun. "Sorry about that, I spent most of my life on the road. At that point, you instinctively react to any sound you hear...wait how did you find me?" he said as she pointed over to the right.

"We didn't land that far from each other, and I spied you from my scope. That was a rather impressive landing," she said as Jaune blushed slightly. "Well, it looks like we are partners now?" she said as he realised that they had made eye contact, which meant that they were partners now.

' _Shit, I forgot about that whole partner thing, this is just great.'_ He thought as he looked at Pyrrha's smiling face. "Look, Pyrrha is it? I think you should probably find someone else to be your partner. I already said that it wouldn't be a good idea, and it's more for your safety than mine." He as he tried to walk away from her, but found that she now stood in his path.

"I know what you said, and personally I think you are wrong. I don't know why it is you don't want a partner, and I can only assume it's something personal to which I will respect. But like it or not, you are my partner now and I need your help to get through this exam. So how about we get through this test, then decide whether we should be partners?" she said as Jaune merely stared at the girl before he sighed.

"All right, but I still think you're making a mistake with me." He said as the red girl smiled.

"We'll see, now we should probably get moving, it's not wise to stay in one place for too long." She said as she began to walk away.

"Hold up, I need to get my sword back," Jaune said as they looked up to see his sword still impaled on the tree above them. Grabbing the chain on his chest he unfurled the long metal, as the chain moved as if it was possessed and wrapped itself around the blue handle with a simple flick of his wrist. Then with a quick tug, the sword was free of its wooden confinement and landed in his hands.

"Impressive," Pyrrha said as Jaune shrugged and sheathed his sword onto his back and the chain to his chest. "But we should start moving, who knows when we could be attacked by Grimm," she said as she turned and started moving towards the ruins.

Jaune didn't move however as he looked back to the forest as several sets of eyes gazed upon him. The outline of a Beowulf slowly lumbered towards him before he glared and they instantly flinched back in fright. He then turned and followed the girl, only hoping he could get through initiation without setting the forest on fire.

"So..." Pyrrha said as she turned to the boy, "Tell me little about yourself?" she asked as Jaune raised an eyebrow and followed the girl into the forest.

* * *

Meanwhile

* * *

Ruby had just been partnered up with Weiss as the girl was about to leave her when they suddenly came across a large hoard of Beowolves. It was too many for one huntress to fight on their own so they had no choice but to work together. Weiss was steadying her feet, as she prepared to attack the beast head on. But at the last minute, Ruby got in her way and caused her to redirect her attack away from the girl and set a tree on fire. Which in turn started to set the whole area on fire as both girls had to run away from the blaze.

"What was that!? We could have taken them! That should have been easy!"

"Well perhaps if you had exercised even the _slightest_ amount of caution with the placement of your strikes, I wouldn't have set the forest on **fire**!" she said as she pointed to the small section of the forest that was now on fire. A bird flew by as it seemed to be screaming something about not judging it about smoking.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said as she sounded offended by the comment while Weiss just glared at her.

"I'm just surprised someone who talks so _much_ would communicate so _little_ during an encounter!" she said as Ruby glared back at her

"Well, I'm sorry you need my help to win a fight. I'm just _fine_ on my own!" she said as Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Well, congratulations on being the strongest _child_ to sneak your way into Beacon, Bravo!" Weiss began to walk off on her partner yet again as Ruby, with an agitated shriek, unfolds Crescent Rose and slices a tree down to the stump.

She then refolds it back and follows her partner as the tree crashes behind her. Neither notice the large dark feather floating onto the fallen trunk behind them. "This would have been a lot easier if Jaune was my partner," she mumbled as she followed the white-haired heiress.

Her mind then wandered to the boy as she wondered if he was okay. She had noticed that he was a little off this morning, as he arrived in the locker room much later than everyone else and seemed to be wanting to avoid anyone at all costs, even meeting her at the cliffs he looked like he was not liking the idea of being here. But why she wondered? What was it that was troubling him? Why did he seem so distant from everyone else? What was the boy hiding? She looked around the forest as she wondered why it was that boy was on her mind.

And why she felt strange around him?

* * *

Meanwhile – Jaune and Pyrrha

* * *

Initially Jaune was not willing to divulge his past to the girl, but Pyrrha had assured him that she would not pry too far into his personal life, and instead wanted to simply get to know the boy she would be partnering with for the next four years. Seeing that she was at least willing to respect his past, he decided to tell her a little about himself.

Like his hobbies, his weapons and motorcycle as well as the years he spent on the road. About the adventures and contracts, he took as a bounty hunter and telling her what it was like outside the Kingdom protected Walls. He didn't tell her about the 'other guy' inside of him, but luckily stuff like that didn't come up.

They then spent the time walking and talking as Jaune got to know more about the girl. From what he knew from Weiss, she was a four-time champion of a Tournament in Mistral and was on the front of every Pumpkin-Pete Cereal Box around the world. But aside from that, he also learned a little about her, like her favourite food was chocolate, her battles in the Mistral Tournament and her hobbies being training and maintaining her weapons. But he also learned of the reason she came to Beacon was to get away from her celebrity life and try being a Huntress as opposed to her duellist life.

And while they talked Jaune felt surprisingly at peace when he was beside the girl. It wasn't the same as Ruby who seemed to just radiate with Innocence that calmed the other guy, but this girl seemed to just radiate with a kindness that Jaune couldn't help but admire. It made him think that it was possible to have a normal life at Beacon and that maybe he could learn to control the other guy within him.

He just hoped that nothing happened to screw it up, like the Other Guy taking control and scaring her away.

They then stood in front of a large cavern as markings were painted across and around the surface of the rocky cliff side. The paintings depicted a large scorpion like-beast, as small humans fought it off with spears and arrows. Clearly, this was a warning left behind by brave warriors who knew that the creature inside was too dangerous to face one on one. And left it as a warning to ward off anyone who would be foolish enough to venture-

"Think this, is it?" Jaune asked as Pyrrha looked uncertain.

...Clearly, they should have left a clearer warning? 'Danger, stay away'

"I'm not sure, the Headmaster said we are looking for a temple, this looks more like a cavern than a temple," she said as she looked at the cavern. "Plus, I don't think those markings on the entrance are just for show?" she said as she pointed to the cave paintings. "I think we should keep looking?" she advised as Jaune thought about it.

In another life, Jaune would have insisted on going inside the cave despite the warnings on the front. Maybe in another life where he faked his papers and snuck his way into Beacon Academy. But that was not that life he lived, that was not the life where he had no knowledge about aura and Grimm. This was that life that he had to fight back against something that was inside of him, where he had to fight for control with an entity that wanted to punish all the wicked and sinful of mankind. A life where he knew that something like this, obviously contained a beast of great age and fighting prowess.

Not that he couldn't handle it, especially if the other guy took over. But he wanted to avoid revealing what he possessed and not be persecuted for being...whatever the hell he was?

"...Yeah, you're probably right. I think we need to head that way now?" he said as Pyrrha sighed in relief. Glad that the boy was at least willing to listen to her. They both turned away as they prepared to head in the other direction. But then a low rumbling caught their attention as the rumbling grew louder and they turned to the cavern, jumping out of the way as the entrance exploded into rubble.

Emerging from the cave was a large scorpion like-beast with black leather like skin, bone white plating covering its body with a Golden stinger that hung on the end of its tail. The creature also blood red markings glowing on its face as it glared with six beady eyes at the two who dared to get close to its territory. But the true reason it left its cave was a strange energy that radiated off the boy. The energy was like nothing it had ever felt before, yet also familiar at the same time as it sensed great anger and fury swelling inside of him. It then roared as Jaune and Pyrrha instantly grabbed their weapons, Pyrrha unsheathing her shield and sword, while Jaune merely pulled out his sword and shotgun.

"What in the!? Why did it come out!?" Pyrrha asked as wondered why the beast decided to leave the cave, while Jaune mentally cursed.

This is what he was afraid of, while smaller class Grimm like Boarbatusks, Beowolves and even some Ursa tended to avoid him, larger Grimm like Ursa's and Nevermore's were drawn to him as they seemed to want to pick a fight with him. He didn't know why it was the Grimm was attracted to him, but he could only assume it was because of the other guy. Who was currently hammering against Jaune's head as he felt the other guy stirring inside him, ready to take on the beast and annihilate the beast to ash. But Jaune managed to force him back, as he did not want to transform in front of Pyrrha.

The beast roared as it reared back its stinger and thrust it at the pair, they instantly dodging out of the way as Pyrrha and Jaune shot at it with her rifle and his shotgun. The rounds doing little to deter it as it roared and lunged at the pair, who continued to dodge and evade the beast. In any other circumstance, Jaune would have gone full out and let the Rider take control. But with Pyrrha here, he could not afford to lose control now, especially since the Rider was pounding on the inside of his skull. He needed to escape and fast.

"We have to run!" Jaune said as he and Pyrrha slowly backed up, "This thing is too strong for us to take on!" he said as she nodded.

"Agreed! Let's get out of here!" she said as Jaune nodded and loaded a special round into the gun, aimed the barrel at the beast and fired. The explosion caused the beast to recoil as it was temporarily blinded by the extra firepower that was charged by both Jaune and the other guy.

When the smoke and dust cleared, the Deathstalker was left alone as it sensed the energy signature heading further and further away from its lair. Normally, it would have just left it alone if a human had gotten smart enough to leave its domain in peace. But the energy signature inside the boy seemed to be calling out to it, intoxicating it with its anger and fury. Like a moth to a flickering flame. And that flame was calling out to it, and it would not deny its call. It then roared as its sound echoed throughout the forest.

* * *

Emerald Forest Temple – Yang and Blake

* * *

Yang and Blake looked up to the sound as they heard the distant roar echoed throughout the forest as they instantly tensed up at the sound. "Did you hear that?" Yang asked as Blake nodded, her animal instincts were telling her that something bad was going to happen, and usually, they were right.

"We need to get out of here, we got out relic, so let's go," she said as Yang nodded and pocketed the Knight piece. But just as they were about to leave, they heard a sudden shriek as Blake looked up and stared in awe. "Uh... isn't that your sister?" she asked as Yang looked up and flinched as she saw her baby sister plummeting to the ground.

"Ruby!" she called out as she quickly ran around, trying to predict where she would land and was ready to catch her. Ruby continued to scream as she came plummeting to the ground, she spied her sister as she hoped that she would be able to catch her fall. But from the trajectory and the speed at which she was falling, not a likely chance. But just as she was about to hit the ground, she simply stopped as she floated above the ground.

"...Wha?" she said as was perplexed at how she was just floating in mid-air. She then noticed a strange glow around her weapon as she appeared to be suspended by her weapon.

"That was close, are you okay?" a voice said as she turned to the voice as she spotted a girl wearing bronze armour, with a red skirt and had long red hair. Beside her was someone she instantly recognised.

"Jaune!" she said as the grey glow disappeared and she fell face first to the floor, "Oof!" she said as the sound of sorry followed, but she didn't mind as she quickly sped over to the pair. "I'm so glad you're okay, is this your partner?" she asked as Jaune nodded.

"Uh...yeah, she's my partner, this is Pyrrha Nikos. She's famous apparently?" Jaune said as Pyrrha smiled slightly. "Pyrrha, this is Ruby, I met her yesterday at the landing pads," he said as Pyrrha nodded and held out her hand to her.

"A pleasure to meet you, Ruby," she said as Ruby nodded.

"Likewise," she said as she shook the older girls hand. While back at the temple, Yang and Blake stared in awe at what had just happened.

"Did your sister just fall out of the sky?" Blake asked as Yang had no idea what to say,

"I think? ...Hey, wait a minute, I know that guy! He's the one who vomited on my shoes!" she said as she was about to call out to him when a loud roar interrupted her as a large Ursa came bounding out of the trees. Right before pink lightning struck its back and it fell to the floor, dead as a doorknob, as a strange orange haired girl fell off its back.

"Ah...it broke," she said as a boy wearing green and white emerged from the forest as he leant on the decaying corpse.

"Nora...Don't...do that...again..." he said in-between breaths as he looked up to her, only to find that she had somehow disappeared and reappeared beside the temple. Her eyes shining in wonder at the golden Rook piece that sat on the pedestal. She then proceeded to pick up the piece and sing a song about being Queen of the Castle. "Nora!" the boy yelled as she stopped and smiled.

"Coming Ren!" she said as the girl, now known as Nora, bounded over to the boy named Ren.

"...Did she just ride in on an Ursa?" Blake asked as Yang finally had enough.

"Okay, that's it! Can everyone just stop for five seconds, before anything else happens!?" she yelled as her hair glowed and her eyes flashed red. Everyone in the forest, including the Deathstalker, as everyone just stayed quiet...for exactly five seconds.

"Uh...Yang?" Ruby said as she then pointed up, they all looked up as a large Nevermore soared high in the sky.

"How could you just leave me!?" a small white speck said, as they could only assume it was Weiss.

"I told you to jump!" she said as Ren, Nora, Blake, Jaune, Pyrrha and Yang stared up at the sky.

"She's going to fall," Blake said as Ruby scoffed.

"No, she won't," she said as Ren then pointed up.

"She's falling," he said as Ruby then panicked and tried to rush out to her.

"Oh, Sugar Honey Ice Tea!" she yelled as she quickly ran towards the spot, holding her arms out expecting to catch her in her arms. Only for Weiss to fall right on the girl and plant her into the dirt. The others cringed as the dust slowly settled and Weiss was lying face first in the dirt, with Ruby right under her.

"...You...dolt..." she mumbled in the dirt as Ruby.

"...Sorry..." she said as Weiss got up off her and brushed the dirt off her dress, leaving the poor girl in the dirt. Luckily Jaune went over to help her as he offered a helping hand. "Thanks," she said as Jaune nodded.

"Don't mention it," he said as they all gathered at the temple.

"Okay, so the gangs all here...now what?" Yang asked as they all stood in front of the temple.

"Well, we all have out relics, I think it would be best if we head back to the Cliffs. There's no need to drag this out any longer than it has to," Ren said as Nora held up her relic, while Yang, Ruby and Jaune held up there's. Jaune grabbing the Rook while Ruby the Knight. Suddenly the forest rumbled as a large Deathstalker burst through the treeline and roared at the assembled children.

"Is that a Deathstalker!?" she said as the beast turned towards the gathered eight and roared. It then charged as it prepared to battle the eight teens. "Well, now we can all die together?" Yang said as a joke, while Ruby deployed her scythe.

"Not if I can't help it!" she said as she sped off to the beast.

"Ruby! Stop!" she tried to say as the small girl sped off at high speed towards the creature. Her semblance pushing her even faster as she prepared to strike the beast down with one stroke. But the beast was far stronger than she thought as her attack did little damage as it easily batted her away.

"Ow," she said as she got up, a sudden screech caught her attention as the Nevermore she rode on turned its attention to her and began to attack her. Large feathers flying of its body as the razor-sharp objects came flying towards the girl.

"Ruby, get out of there!" Yang yelled as Ruby couldn't help but agree as she sped away from the hail of feathers, only to get snagged by her cloak and came to a full stop.

"Damn it!" she said as she tugged at her cloak, "It won't come loose!" she yelled as she continued to tug on the fabric. Suddenly she felt a large shadow dwarfed her as the Deathstalker had managed to rush up to her and prepared to spear the girl with its stinger.

"RUBY!" Yang yelled as the stinger was thrust towards the girl, she crossed her arms in front of her in a vain attempt to shield herself. But she felt something wrap around her chest as she was suddenly pulled back with extreme force, the section of her pinned cloak ripping off as she flew back and into the arms of a tall boy with blond hair as Jaune smirked down at her.

"I told you the chain had its uses," he said as he placed the girl on the ground and the chain wrapped itself back around his chest. He then turned to the Deathstalker as it prepared to attack again, only for a girl in white to sprint in front of them and seal its tail in a block of ice.

"That's not going to hold it for long! We need to get out of here!" Weiss said as they all nodded and turned to head for the forest, but just before they could the Deathstalker broke free of its ice prison and managed to rush at the eight. Jaune at the last minute pushed Pyrrha out of the way, as the beast now stood between the others and Jaune.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha called out but was stopped by as the Nevermore fired more feathers at the eight.

"I'll be fine! Just go!" he ordered as the Deathstalker roared and thrust its stinger at the boy, only for Jaune to jump out of the way as the beast continued to attack him. Pyrrha wanted to help him but was stopped by Weiss as she pulled at the girl's arm.

"There is nothing we can do! We have to go, now!" she said as she and the others began to run away from the battle. But Ruby and Pyrrha stared one last time before they too had to leave the boy to his fate.

Jaune on, the other hand, was glad that they left, as he now could let loose the being inside him and burn this beast to ashes. But the problem was what would stop the other guy from going even further and hunt down any one with sin on their hands. Not to mention, what would happen if they turned around and come back for him and saw what he really was. So, he needed to bargain with the Other Guy, offer him something in return for his cooperation. And he knew what he would have to do.

"Okay, listen up," he spoke as the entity stirred inside him. "I'm going to let you take control of my body to beat this thing, but only for five minutes, that's all you're getting! If any of them found out what I am, I doubt they would ever consider me a friend and I need to have some semblance of a normal life. If you do, I won't stop you from going out tonight and hunting down some sinners, but only if they don't find out about you, deal?" he asked as the Rider stirred within him, considering the deal. Jaune then felt a stir as he felt the being understood as Jaune's eyes glowed orange.

"All right..." Jaune said as smoke started to rise form his collar. "Le **t's do this,"** flesh burned away as a flaming skull with cracks running throughout the surface took its place, beady orange eyes glared at the beast before him as parts of his armour began to warp.

The white metal turned grey with a skull symbol taking its place on the chest plate and pauldron with small spikes protruding on the shoulders of the leather jacket. The sword on his back warping until the metal sheath was dark grey with a flame like a pattern as the cross guard turned into a screaming skull with a deep red handle. He then grabbed the chain around his chest, as he whipped out the chain that grew spikes, and glowed like it was on fire.

The Deathstalker suddenly backed away as it stood before the now flaming boy and the demonic roar that seemed to echo in the distance.

* * *

Cliffs

* * *

Static screens were all that they could see as Ozpin and Glynda looked at their scrolls. "He's unleashed it again," Glynda said as Ozpin could have sworn he heard the fear in her voice. "This is a mistake Ozpin, that thing inside him is going to burn everything in the forest and there's nothing we can do to stop it..." she turned as she glared at the man. "I told you we should have sent him away when we had the chance! Now you've gone and doomed us all!" she said as the man merely shook his head.

"Be patient, Glynda, at least give Mister Arc a chance. That is after all why we accepted him into Beacon? To help him control his power, this is necessary if he wants to control it. He needs to face this challenge,"

"That maybe, but we still don't know what we're dealing with! And you haven't seen what he possesses inside of him, that thing that killed those men! You're playing with Fire Ozpin, and it's going to burn us all!" she said as he merely stared at the static screen.

"We shall see, Glynda...we shall see..."

* * *

With the Others

* * *

The other continued to run as they dashed through the forest, their hearts pounding and their breaths heaving as they continued to run. But a dark thought was lingering in their minds, as they thought about the boy they left behind. Sure, it was not their fault, and he did tell them to run, but the guilt was still there. It was still gnawing at the corners of their mind, mocking them for not doing anything to help and instead of running away like cowards. They had left him to die, while they ran.

Pyrrha suddenly stopped as she looked back to the forest, the thought of her partner still lingering in her mind as she cursed at herself for not going back.

"Pyrrha, what are you doing? We have to keep moving?" Weiss said as she shook her head.

"No... No, I'm going back for him. He was supposed to be my partner and I left him to die, how could I do something like that!? What kind of person am I!?" she said as Weiss shook her head.

"We barely knew him! Plus, you all heard what he said, he told us to run. I'm sure he has some plan to escape, but we can't help him. That Deathstalker was too much for us, not to mention with the Nevermore flying over our heads, there was no way we could help him," she said as Pyrrha shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, I'm still going back for him!" she said as she turned to head back to the battle.

"But that's insane! You'll get yourself killed! Somebody tell her!" she said as she turned to the others. But they seemed to be debating themselves as they too didn't know what they should do. Should they turn back and help him? Or should they continue to the cliff and hope for the best? It was a hard choice to make.

"...I'll come too," Ruby said as she stood next to her. This caused Pyrrha to smile as the younger girl stood by her.

"I guess I'm coming too?" Yang said as she walked over to her sister. "Can't have my baby sister going up against life threatening odds by herself, can I?" she asked as Blake then stood beside her.

"And as your partner, I suppose I must go too?" she said Yang grinned, while Weiss could only look at them in shock.

"We'll come too! I've never fought a Deathstalker before, I wonder if you could ride it?" Nora said as they looked at her strangely.

"That means we'll help too, it would be shameful to leave a fellow Huntsman behind," he said as he and Nora then stood with them. The only one left was Weiss as she stood alone, as she looked amongst the assembled six, surprised by their devotion to saving a boy they barely knew.

"You do know that the likely chances of us coming out alive are slim to none, right?" she asked as they all nodded. She then sighed as she walked over to them. "All right, but at least someone tells me they have a plan," she asked as Ruby nodded.

"Don't worry, I've got it all sorted, let's go!" she said as they all turned back to the clearing. But suddenly a large wall of fire sprung out in front of them as they were forced to back away as the entire forest was starting to burn. A loud demonic roar echoing all around them, followed by the pain filled sounds of a monster in agony.

"What the hell!" Yang said as she and everyone backed away from the flames as they continued to burn the forest. A large tree branch broke off and landed before the seven as the smoke and flames became too much for them.

"We have to get out of here!" Blake said as she held a hand over her mouth, to stop herself from inhaling any more smoke.

"But Jaune!" Ruby said before she had to jump away from another falling branch.

"We'll come back for him! But right now, we need to get out of here! Before we're all burned to a crisp!" Ren said as they all turned around and ran out of the forest. While high above the Nevermore looked down as a large section of the forest burned. And at the centre of the blaze was its comrade and a being that was engulfed in flames as the demonic presence still radiated off the being. And for the first time in its entire life...

It was afraid

* * *

Jaune – Emerald Temple

* * *

Jaune, now possessed by the Rider, roared as it continued to battle the Deathstalker. It's fiery chain whipping and striking against the hard armour of the Grimm, as the beast roared in pain. It swung its stinger at the boy, who only dodged and pulled out his shotgun, that warped into a darkly twisted counterpart, and blasted at the beast. The Deathstalker roared in pain as part of its face was blown off, two of its six eyes now missing from its skull.

It then roared as it attacked with its pincer as it wrapped around the boy's chest, hoping to crush the boy, only for the boy to grab the pincer and slowly pry it open. But before it could do anything else it was kicked back and a metal chain was wrapped around its tail as it looked up and then at the Rider as the Rider pulled and began to spin the Deathstalker around the forest.

The large beast smashing and crashing into the forest as tree after tree was uprooted and the beast was then thrown as it crashed into another tree before it came to a stop and it weakly stood up. Two of its legs were snapped like twigs, as the others were barely helping to keep the Deathstalker up. It looked back at the boy, as the Rider slowly walked towards the Deathstalker, the flaming chain scraping against the ground as everything around it was burning. The burning blaze behind the being brought only more fear to the Deathstalker as the Rider only glared and prepared to finish the job.

The Deathstalker was afraid, this was too much for Grimm to handle as the beast now realised that the call from the being was a trap. To lure creatures of darkness towards the boy so that he could kill them and burn them from existence, it would not return to the source like his brothers, he would simply cease to exist. And that made the creature afraid. So far it had lost three of its eyes, two of its legs and the pincer on its right side was hanging by a threat. Any longer, and it would perish to the boy.

In a last-ditch effort, it spun around and smashed a couple of trees towards the boy, who quickly whipped the chain around and cut the trees in half. But while the boy was distracted, it took the chance to escape as it quickly scurried away and proceeded to head to the cliffs...

Right in the direction the others had run off to.

The Rider growled then roared a horrible demonic noise as the flames on its head grew bigger and brighter as it realised it had been deceived. It then looked to the left as its eyes flashed orange and the sound of an engine echoed in the forest. Jaune's motorbike zoomed towards it at incredible speeds, before coming to a stop before the Rider. Like the Rider, its shape had changed as the engine glowed red hot, while the wheels were fully consumed in flames.

But before it could go any further, it felt its body halt as Jaune had managed to take control. "Hold up!" he said as the Rider turned to the boy, or rather an astral version of him. "Remember our deal, you had five minutes and you used it up! Plus, they can't find out about you! I'm taking control again!" he said as the Rider growled.

"We had a deal!" he reaffirmed one last before it relented as the Rider fell to his knees as the flames died and flesh began to grow back on his head.

Jaune breathed in heavy breaths as he felt control return to him as he looked around at the burnt forest as the flames had died and sighed in relief. It wasn't easy to bargain with him, but when a deal was struck, the Rider tended to uphold the bargain. He looked up as he watched the Deathstalker running at full speed in the direction the others went. He cursed as he realised that the Grimm was too far gone to catch up to it in time. He looked over to the motorbike as he sighed.

"There is no way I'm going to able to explain this," he said as he got on the bike as he pulled back the throttle and sped off towards the cliffs.

* * *

The Others – Beacon Cliff's

* * *

The others stopped to catch their breaths as they managed to outrun the blaze and reach the large temple that was situated on the cliff face. However, they were currently barred as the Nevermore was effectively blocking them off as it hovered over the ruins, waiting for the other participants to cross its path.

"Well that's just great," Yang says as she peers from the corner of the pillar.

"Doesn't look like it's going to be moving anytime soon. We need a plan to distract it, then make it to the cliffs. Hopefully, then, we can get one of the teachers to go help Jaune," Pyrrha said as Weiss looked back to the large smoke that drifted off into the wind.

"If he isn't already dead by now?" she said but flinched when Pyrrha turned her glare to her, but just before they could do anything the Deathstalker burst from the treelines. For a moment, they felt fear surge on their chests as they realised it was the same creature they left Jaune to fight. Badly injured, but still alive. But before they could mourn, the creature roared as it charged towards the group.

"Run!" Ruby said as they all made a beeline to the cliffs. This caught the attention of the Nevermore as it began to fire feathers at the seven. Each member ducking and dodging out of the way as feather after feather skewered the battlefield.

"Nora! Distract it!" Ren shouted as the girl nodded.

"Roger!" she said as she pulled out her weapon, a silver grenade launcher with intricate markings, and fired multiple shots at the large bird. The grenades, marked with pink hearts, exploded on the creature and forced it to fly away from the fight. If only temporary, to circle the ruins. But this gave the others time to get to the bridge as Pyrrha deployed her rifle.

"Ren! help cover me!" she said as the boy nodded.

"Okay!" he said as he fired at the Deathstalker that was charging them. Most of them managed to make it across, except for Nora, Ren and Pyrrha as the Nevermore soared and smashed the bridge to pieces. "Damn it! We have to take out the Deathstalker!" he said as Pyrrha turned to the Nevermore.

"What about the Nevermore!?" she asked as several gun shots resonated, as Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang avoided another head-on collision.

"They will have to handle it on their own, for now, let's deal with what's in front of us," he said as he unloaded another round of bullets at the Deathstalker's tough exoskeleton, but did little to harm the creature. The creature did try its best to protect its damaged parts, as Nora deployed her grenade launcher into a hammer charged and she slammed it down on the creature. But even that was not enough, as it merely shook off the attack and proceeded to attack the three. Pyrrha managed to bring up her shield as she blocked one of its pincers while Ren ran around the beast to disorient the creature with his weapons.

Meanwhile, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang were lined up on the ruins as they all fired at the Nevermore that flew around the ruins. "Stay still stupid bird!" Yang yelled as her eyes flashed red and she unloaded another bout of rocket shells at the beast. But the beast easily evaded the rounds as it flew around the ruins, and then launched another barrage of the feathers at the girls. Each one had to jump out of the way, with Weiss using her glyphs to create a running platform for herself to the floor, while Blake merely used her Gunn and Ribbon to swing her way down to the ruined floor.

Yang took a more direct approach as she used the explosions of her weapons to propel herself to another section of the temple. While Ruby used her speed and weapon to make it down the floor. "We need to stop it moving around," Weiss said as she looked between the Nevermore, the cliff and Weiss.

"I have an idea, but it's risky," she said as Weiss looked over to the beast.

"At this point, I'll take just about anything," she said as the others nodded.

"Okay, Weiss Cover me," she said as Weiss nodded and prepared herself for whatever she had planned. Ruby then saw the bird soaring towards them as she spotted her sister on top of a ruin. "Sis! Draw it to the cliffs!" she yelled as she grinned and jumped right into the path of the Nevermore. She managed to land on its face, and hold its beak apart as she fired round after round into the bird's mouth.

"Eat! This!" she said with each shot as the beast roared in pain. Distracted long enough, it never noticed it was flying right into the path of the cliff until Yang jumped onto its back and slam into the cliff. The beast roared in pain as it fell into the ruins. But before it could move, Weiss jumped down from a column and froze its tail with some ice. Blake then threw one end of her weapon to Yang as they both held the ribbon between two columns as they signalled Ruby.

Ruby then jumped off the top of the ruins and landed on the ribbon, drawing it back as Weiss summoned a few black glyphs that held it in place. Effectively turning it into a giant slingshot as Weiss aimed it at the Nevermore. "Only you could come up with a plan like this," Weiss said as she used her glyphs like a scope.

"Think you can make the shot?" Ruby asked as Weiss smirked with confidence.

"Hmm! Can I!"

"... Can you?"

"Of course, I can!" she said as Ruby looks forward and pumps Crescent Rose as Weiss turns the circle from black to red and releases Ruby at such a speed that the ground behind her launch cracks.

Rose petals flying from her ascent with each new shot, she gets closer and closer to the trapped Grimm until her scythe catches the Nevermore's neck in its blade and causes them both to fall to the cliff wall. Weiss raises her sword and creates a series of white circles up the wall, which Ruby dashes through by firing the entire way up.

Yang, Blake, and an exhausted Weiss watch her climb up with the bird in her grasp until, both warrior and monster crying out, Ruby reaches the top of the cliff, circles up, fires one last shot, and rends the Nevermore's head from its shoulders in a shower of petals. She lands beside the severed head as the body of the giant Nevermore falls lifeless to the ruins and crevice below while the girls looked up in awe.

"Show off," Yang said as she smiled at her sister. Ruby then jumped down, using her weapon to drag down to the floor as she ran back to the group.

"Come on, we've got to help the others!" she said as they suddenly remembered the other and ran back to them.

Back with the others, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren were in the for the of their lives as they continued to fight against the large Deathstalker. Despite it being injured, it proved to be far stronger than they expected as it clearly had enough experience with fighting multiple huntsmans at once.

Pyrrha doing her best to fight the beast as she used her shield to block its stinger, but was thrown back from the force. Ren running up the arm of the beast as he shot at the stinger, only to then be batted away as he slammed into a column.

"REN! Nora yelled as she grew angry and charge at the beast, only for the monster to spin around and knock her away with its tail. This left on Pyrrha as she stood before the large beast. But she did not relent as she held up her shield and prepared to fight to the bitter end.

"Pyrrha!" she heard her name call out, as she turned to see the others running toward her. "We're coming to help!" Ruby said as they all ran to in that moment, the beast took its chance to strike and quickly knocked the shield out of her hand.

With little time to react, Pyrrha was then knocked back as she flew high into the air and off the cliff towards the ravine. Time seemed to slow down for everyone as the red-haired champion slowly fell towards the large abyss as she looked at the shocked face of the others as she fell. Yang, Ruby and Weiss screaming her name, while Blake reached for her weapon. But she knew that she would not make it in time.

' _Is this my fate? To die like this, before I could ever become a huntress?'_ Pyrrha thought as she soon felt gravity begin to take her as. _'Then I guess it's for the best, for not helping him like I promised...'_ she slowly closed her eyes as she waited for the inevitable.

But suddenly the sound of an engine roaring caught her attention as a black shaped blur sped towards her, the Deathstalker turned and screamed as several fiery shots impacted in its face.

The blur then shot off a rubble like a ramp and caught her in mid-air. Before a long chain flew from the figure wrapping itself around a pillar, as the force sent them pulled them both back to the bridge. They landed with a loud screech as the sound of tires skidding across the floor brought everything to a halt as the world seemed to stop where the only sound that could be heard was the engine of a motorbike as everyone stared in awe.

Pyrrha looked up in stunned awe as she was now in the arms of Jaune as he glared at the Deathstalker, for a moment she could have sworn his eyes flashed orange before he turned down to the girl. "Hey," he said as she blinked. "Sorry I'm late?" said with a smile as she only stared at him.

For a moment, everything was silent as they all just stared at the sight.

"Jaune!?B-But how!? The Fire!? And the bike!? Where'd the Bike come from!?" she said out as the sound of her voice was enough to shake the Deathstalker out of its shock as it suddenly roared and drew their attention.

"Later, right now we've got to deal with him!" he said as turned to Nora and Ren, who managed to get back up. "Nora hit it with everything you've got! Ren, try to take out its eyes!" he ordered as they both nodded and began to attack the beast.

"Pyrrha," he said as she turned to him. "How sharp is that sword of yours, can it cut through its skin?" he asked as she blinked and looked at her sword and shook her head. He then pulled out his sword as he handed it to her.

"Then use mine, it's sharper than it looks," he said as he handed her the blade. "get on the back," he said as she stared before nodding.

"I'm assuming you have a plan?" she said as she got onto to the back of his motorbike. He nodded as he pulled back on the throttle of the bike.

"Something like that," he said as he then sped towards the Deathstalker, tires screeching on the stone floor as they sped towards the beast.

The Deathstalker roared as it tried to get away, but the constant bombardment of grenades made it hard to think, as Nora cackled as she shot after shot at the beast and forced it to back away from the girl and into the open. It didn't help that at the same time, Jaune was shooting with his shotgun as fiery explosions impacted against its shell. Ren then speeding towards the beast as he managed to jump over its head and shot multiple bullets at the creature's face. With luck, some managed to hit their target as the creature lost its last eyes and was now completely blind.

Seeing this, Jaune and Pyrrha sped towards the beast as Jaune jumped over the gap with his bike and then sped to the beast, "Ready!" he yelled as they got closer. "Now!" he yelled as he forced the bike onto its side as they slid under the beast. While doing that, Pyrrha stabbed his sword under the beast and flooded it with her aura and semblance as they carved a huge gash under the Deathstalker.

The Deathstalker screamed in pain as pitch black smoke poured out from under it, its body thrashing and crashing across the open grass as it desperately tried to stop the pain that it felt. But nothing could be done as slowly 'bled' from its wounds. Jaune then got the bike back up straight as he skidded to a stop and looked at the dying creature,

"It's not dead yet!" Pyrrha said as Jaune cursed and pulled out his shotgun.

' _Hey! I could use a little help!'_ he begged the Rider as he felt a surge of energy rushing through his arm.

The barrel of his gun then become bright as an intense heat could be felt across the barrel. But Jaune didn't care as he aimed the gun at the beast as his eyes flashed orange and he pulled the trigger. A large ball of fire then shot out of the barrel as it sped towards the dying Deathstalker, who let out one last deafening scream before a large explosion rocked the ruins. A large plume of smoke and dust covered the area s everyone turned with baited breaths to the centre of the smoke as it slowly dissipated.

Eyes then widened as they saw the entire head of the Deathstalker was blown to bits as thick black smoke poured out of the new hole. The body then fell forward as it landed on the ground, dead and disappearing into the wind. But unlike the usual way Grimm died. The process seemed to be faster and a small flame singed at the smoke before it and the Deathstalker was soon completely gone.

Jaune then lets out a sigh of relief as he holstered his weapon and shut off the engine of his bike, Pyrrha too taking a deep sigh as she leant on the boys back, but then shot back as she blushed. "That was close," he said as he failed to notice that, to which she was thankful.

"Y-yes, I suppose it was," she said as she noticed the other running to them. "Well, at least everything's over now. By the way, where did you get this bike?" she asked as the boy just shook his head.

"Later, Pyrrha, much later..." Jaune said as he looked down at his hand as he felt the power slowly fade. He narrowed his eyes as he wondered what this meant for him.

* * *

Later – Beacon Atrium

* * *

"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark," Ozpin says the screen of the auditorium shows each of their profiles as the boys are lined up for the applauding audience to see as Ozpin continues. "The four of you retrieved the black Bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL, led by... Cardin Winchester." The crowd in the atrium cheered. While Cardin grinned as he felt pride. He then turns as four girls then line up.

"Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white Knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Led by... Ruby Rose" he says as Weiss looks to her right surprised, where Ruby is obviously in shock as Yang goes over to hug her sister.

"I'm so proud of you!" she said as Ruby was just left to a stuttering mess, while Jaune smiled from a distance.

"Good for her," Pyrrha said as she stood by his side. "She truly deserves it," she said as Jaune couldn't help but nod. Ozpin then motioned them to come up to the stage as Jaune felt slightly nervous about standing in front of a lot of people. Mostly because he could sense all the small sins that radiated from everyone in the room. But luckily being near Pyrrha and Ruby were helping to keep it calm.

"Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white Rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR..." he said as the crowd cheers and claps as Nora laughs and gives Ren a hug. Jaune smiled as he saw this while Pyrrha chuckled.

 _'Well so far so good,'_ Jaune thought to himself as he stood beside his partner and the new team. _'I managed to make it through the exam, I didn't lose control and managed to keep my secret intact,'_ he thought to himself as he looked to his partner. _'Maybe I can have a normal life here? Maybe things won't be so bad, so long as we have Pyrrha as our leader,'_ Jaune thought as he turned to the girl.

"Led by...Jaune Arc"

Jaune became frozen as he heard his name being said as he snapped his head back to the man who seemed to be smirking at the boy. "Eh?" he said as the man nodded to the stunned boy.

"Congratulations young man," he said as his teammates and friends cheered as Pyrrha gave him a friendly bump on the shoulder, not that he noticed. But then grew concerned as he just seemed to be staring at Ozpin. Said man then raised an eyebrow as the boy just stared at him for the longest time possible.

"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked as he stared before screaming at the top of his lungs...

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?"

* * *

 **And Scene. Well, here is Chapter IV of The Rider of Remnant. Yes, I made Jaune leader of JNPR, One, because it's canon. Two, I have a very good reason as to why, which will be explained in Chapter V. And as for why I didn't write them asking how he got his bike to the forest, I will explain that in the next chapter, after Jaune and Ozpin have a talk.**

 **But now that Jaune has entered Beacon Academy, how will the new Rider of Remnant handle the responsibilities and task that are involved with being a leader? And how long can he keep his secret from the others? And will Jaune ever be able to learn how to control the power of the Rider? Find out next time in...  
**

 **Chapter V: The Rider's Lesson**


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